A Glimpse From the Side
by LilyHellsing
Summary: A writing from boredom. Ayame/OC. Discontinued from lack of muse and talent.
1. Chapter 1

"Good morning Miss Honda, Yuki…Kyo." A redhead woman greeted as the trio walked past her. She stood off to the side of the front door, nodding to each that walked by. Kyo stormed off, grumbling about something. Yuki paused to greet her softly in return. Tohru almost tripped over herself as she returned the greeting almost feverishly.

"Miss Rowe! Good morning! We were just on our way to school, but…"

"Nettie." The English woman corrected for what had to be the sixth time. She suspected the age difference between them prompted Tohru, especially at such a surprise as this, to fall back into polite titles. "And I see that. Study hard, have fun, and give the teachers some sass, eh?"

"We're gonna be late!" Kyo shouted from a few yards away. "Come on!"

Yuki nodded towards the open door. "Shigure is in his study." He knew why the woman was there so early.

"Thank you, that's a good sign. Have a nice day, you two…three." Tohru looked like she was about to protest, as though torn between school and playing hostess. Luckily Yuki called her name and mentioned something about a test coming up. When the trio was out of sight, Nettie walked in and shut the door quietly.

Ever since Mitchan's 'mental health vacation' – something that was mostly credited to Shigure Sohma for pushing her – Nettie Rowe had taken over as editor. This was over three months ago. Nettie had taken to visiting twice a month to check up on Shigure's progress of his novel. The interactions, as they increased, had progressed from conversations, to pestering, to playing hide-and-seek. It wasn't long before she understood why Mitchan had been reduced to a blubbering mess.

Because of this, Nettie decided to show up early that morning on a day that was unexpected. Slipping her shoes off, she walked through the hallways quietly. Given her dark silver pant suit, she had to move carefully least the fabric make any noise. It was more of a swaying than anything. If memory served correctly of the layout of the house, the study would be the next door on the left.

It was exciting, she thought, to sneak up on that oversized child like this. An up from their hide-and-seek last visit. With a toothy grin, she threw the door open. "Heeeeelllooooo Shigure!" She called out as she leaned against the door frame. Alas, the room was…empty. Her green eyes blinked twice. "Shi…gure?"

Nettie walked further into the room, catching whiffs of recent smoke. Her gaze traveled to the stack of papers on his desk. The manuscript maybe? She walked over and knelt down, looking a few pages over. She caught a few familiar words that he had used before, a few sentences that she had seen a month ago. So where was the rest?

Just as she picked up the stack and stood, a voice exclaimed behind her, "Hello Nettie!"

"AAHH!" Nettie spun around and smacked the person with the stack of papers. The pair froze. Nettie with her weapon of choice smashing Shigure's face, the source of her fright. A moment passed before Nettie's muscled relaxed. "Shigure." She scowled. "You…" she sighed and tossed the papers back on the desk, "well played."

Shigure gave a weak chuckle. "I thought it was until I was hit with my own work. I hope to never be in the same house as you when the power goes out."

"And kill one of our best sellers? Hilarious. I'd be out of a job and chased out of the town with pitchforks." She offered a smile before stepping aside from his desk. "Morning."

"Good morning." Shigure looked her over. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Well, that was the point." Nettie grinned. "How did you slip away though? Yuki said you were in your study not just a few minutes ago." Pause. "And I didn't hear any footsteps when I was prowling."

The man gave her a smile that was difficult to read. "Let's just say…I smelt you from the front door."

Nettie's skin took on a soft pink as she sniffed herself. "Smell? What…do I smell like? From that far, really?"

The difficult to read smile turned into that of common glee. "Oh, you know, ink, evil, and a bit of honeysuckle."

Nettie opened her mouth to respond but fell silent once more. Ink, evil and honeysuckle? Well, the latter was her perfume but she used that sparingly. Ink…she had been editing something earlier. Evil, ha, for her sneaking in. "So funny." She rolled her eyes. "No matter, now that I have you where I want you…how's the manuscript? It's due two weeks from now, you know."

Shigure contemplated giving her the slip and playing hide-and-seek as the last time. Truth be told, he was nearly done with it and planned to finish the day before it was due. To be so honest and ease Nettie's attentive worries, however, just didn't seem as fun. He would have started a game had he not noticed, this close to her without his own work against his face, the shadows under her eyes.

"It goes well. It should be done in time…unless I'm struck with a horrible case of writer's block! Oh!" He gave a dramatic gesture of his hand to his forehead.

Nettie snorted and lightly punched his stomach, really just simple contact. "If that happens, just call me and I'll beat the block away, hm? Now since this was far easier than I expected…how about some tea?" Pause. "You _can_ make at least that without burning everything down, right?"

Shigure waved the concern away. "We'll see, won't we? Come along." As the pair walked to the kitchen, Nettie following even into the room, he made small talk. Or, rather, nosey questions that doubled as small talk. "So, late night? Perhaps too much excitement with…Masaki, wasn't it?"

Masaki Ieyoshi was one of the top reasons why Nettie had moved to Japan. Besides a job offer, as well as family on her father's side, Masaki was a man that she had met four years ago on a visit to her aunt. From there, they exchanged letters and phone calls for a year and a half. Then she moved over here. The two and a half year mark was coming up on her moving and their official coupling. Against her aunts and uncles, as well as a few older cousins, advice, she moved in with him and hadn't looked back.

In fact, she had half expected an engagement ring soon – something, much to her surprise that turned her off. Well, that was before…things changed.

"Oh, uh…yeah." Nettie looked out the window as Shigure settled the kettle of water on the stove. It wasn't technically a lie.

Shigure noticed the flicker in her gaze but said nothing. There was a line of professionalism that he knew not to cross. Well, no, he wanted to know because he was curious but perhaps there was a more subtle way to handle it.

When the kettle whispered, he finished making the tea before taking the tray over to the table. Nettie followed. The man chuckled softly. "You and your English habits." He muttered.

"To be honest, I often don't follow my host into the kitchen." She said as she took a seat across from him, mindful of her pants. The house, however, was spotless thanks to Tohru. "It's only when I think they'll pull a Houdini that I linger." She grinned as she took the cup he poured. She inhaled the scent and sighed almost sadly. "How I miss the black teas of home." She shook her head before sipping it.

"Ah, England…yes. Are you planning on visiting home anytime soon?" He sipped his tea before clarifying with a grin, "Not that I want you out of my hair or house, but…"

Nettie chuckled before resting her elbow on the table. "And leave you to procrastinate on your work? I would never." She drank more of her tea before setting it down. "No, I would love to visit England again but…the finances say otherwise, those mystic forces." She forced another chuckle and winced at how false it sounded. "What about you, Shigure? Have you wanted to travel lately?"

The man rest his chin in the palm of his hand. "And leave you all alone, without a handsome man to pester? I could never dream of it!" He sipped his tea. "Not to mention, I'm sure Kyo and Yuki would destroy the house if I tried."

"Yes, those two do seem to be fairly pumped. Hormones, maybe? However does poor Tohru handle it?" Nettie drank more. "I see the door has been fixed since last I came."

"Well that was almost two weeks ago," he pointed out, "I would hope so."

Nettie finished her tea. She stared at a spot on the table without much thought. Zoning out, at that. Her mind kept revolving around last night, against her better judgement. It was only when a worried Shigure cleared his throat did she jolt back to attention. "On that note, I must away. I'm due back in the office. I'll see you around the deadline, eh?" She stood and smiled.

"Of course." Shigure said as he stood with her. "Allow me to walk you out." As they walked down the hallway, he added, "You were really quiet, you know. I have no idea how you managed to walk so light."

"When one is determined, they'll find a way to get things done." She teased with a grin. At the door, she slipped her shoes back on and pinned her hair back, keeping her hair from her neck. "Pleasant writings, Shigure."

"Pleasant editing, Nettie." He purred as she walked away. She paused and looked to her left, spotting a stray dog off to the side. She shook her head before walking back to her car. Ah, the wild country side brought all sorts of strays…

* * *

For the next couple days, Nettie walked around in a bit of a haze. It wasn't just the disrupted sleep or the financial worry, but the issue of her relationship. Masaki…she sighed. She hadn't entirely lied to Shigure when she answered his question. She had stayed up because of Masaki, but it wasn't the fun sort. Rather, she had been waiting for him to return from a 'meeting' – a strip club, she knew, shitfaced and a bit poorer.

These 'meetings', always business he protested, had started about a month ago. They had been once a week at first, but quickly increased in frequency. But Shigure didn't need to know that. No one needed to know that her relationship was…at a rough patch.

If she could just save a bit more money…splitting rent, covering rent more often lately, and the bills had left her nearly dry financially. What was the start of his behavior? Was it something she did? Something at work he did?

An idea sprung to the mind of the desperate editor.

In the past few weeks, she had gotten rather run down from her job. As a result, she wasn't home often and when she was, she often wanted to just eat, shower, and sleep. Perhaps it was an issue of intimacy between them. Yes, that might be it.

If Nettie could just…try to be…sexy for a night…

She nearly slammed her head into the desk. It sounded absurd. Part of her, the logical part, told her that. It was absurd to stay with him, to try to change her own behavior in the hopes of altering his. But that part was drowned out by the emotional part that protested. If she could only dress sexy, be sexy for one night…all of the 'meetings' would stop.

She hoped.

But what to wear? She had nothing other than…well, no, that had gotten worn out long ago and tossed as a result. Nettie set aside her work and searched online for a shop of such natures. There was a soft blush to her face as she did, relieved that she had her own office where no one could see her. If they knew…

First to pop up was a lingerie store just a few streets away. It had good reviews, great even. It was run by two people. Before she could read into it further, a co-worker walked by. Nettie exited the page with a slight jump.

With a soft pink hue to her face, Nettie entered the surprisingly clean looking shop. The scent of candles, herbs, and something oddly sweet hit her. It certainly relaxed her a bit; so far this place didn't seem as sleazy as the stereotype suggested.

"Hello?" She called out, looking around as she did. Her eyes widened a bit. Costumes of maids, nurses, teachers…she almost laughed. Well, subtle enough for the front area. "Sign says you're open for another hour." She had ended up staying a little later at work than planned.

A loud, thrilled voice echoed out from the back of the room. "Yes, hello! Back here! Apologies, I'll be right there!" The voice was…happy, she noticed. Very happy. In fact, for a second she was reminded of Tohru.

Nettie walked further in, noticing a police outfit and a doctor's outfit. Oh, gods, she thought with a flutter in her stomach. This was…this was…

"Greetings! I am Ayame Sohma, owner of this shop! I apologize for the delay, my employee, Mine, called in sick earlier and, well. Oh, your hair! It's as fiery as the passion I've seen expressed in this very store! However do you get it so vibrant?" Out from the back popped a man in red and gold, his silver hair tied in a large braid over his shoulder. His golden eyes startled her for a moment – she had to be seeing things from the sinking light outside.

It took Nettie a moment to pull herself back together. She offered a smile. His own was quite contagious. "Good evening, sir. It's perfectly alright, I imagine running a shop by yourself is chaos. And, haha, no, no, this is my natural hair color I assure you." Sohma. Another Sohma. Well, that was a fairly common last name, she thought.

"Oh, please, call me 'Ayame'! And how shall I address my new goddess of fire?" He stepped closer, his gaze traveling over her locks.

She let him. Honestly, she was just as guilty as studying him as he was her. "My name is Nettie Rowe, pleasure to meet you. Please, call me Nettie…this type of business seems to demand intimacies early on." She held her hand out, a habit, to shake his.

Like another Sohma she knew, he blinked and smiled before taking her hand. When his lips brushed against the back of her hand, they lingered for a moment. A pleasant shiver traveled down Nettie's spine. Before she could resist, a soft giggle left her. "Nettie…the name is ever unique, just as your lovely locks and your hypnotic laugh. I should enjoy hearing it often." He stood after he purred the compliment. Then, just like a switch flipped, he exclaimed, "So, how can I help you today?!"

Nettie brushed a curl behind her ear, trying to ignore the warmth that lingered on her hand from his lips and his hold. "Well…I'm looking for something…sexy, obviously. I mean," she blushed just a shade less than her hair, "I'm hoping to seduce a long-term relationship again. Rough patch, passion has dulled…that story."

Thankfully, Ayame didn't prod or make her feel bad. She could see why his store had so many great reviews. "Excellent, I know just the thing! With your stunning colors and the way you're shaped, I think this will be perfect!" He took her other hand and led her towards the back, talking all the way. "Right away I could tell what sort of person you are! Tell me, what is your sign?"

"Er, sign?" It took her a moment to realize what he meant. "Oh! That. Uh, I'm an Aries. And a…what was it…a rooster." Pause. "Why do you ask? What are you?"

"Oh really?!" He exclaimed with a true sense of thrill. "How interesting! I'm a Sagittarius. I was born in the year of the Rat but…I'm more of a snake." His voice had dipped at that part, though she wasn't sure how to read it.

Instead, Nettie pointed out, "Sagittarius? Supposedly we're quite compatible."

"Supposedly? Do you not believe in the signs?" They stopped at one wall in the back.

The redhead shrugged. "Depends on the day."

"Nevertheless, this proves what I thought the instant I set eyes on you!" He threw an arm aside to the wall full of black leather. "An assertive, dominating young lady like yourself would feel all too easily at home in this!" He presented her a short black leather skirt and a corset with half sleeves. Alongside it on the wall was a riding crop and a cat'o'nine tails, if she recognized it right. There were several buckles on some knee-high boots at the bottom, all of which looked stunning.

Nettie's eyes widened as she blushed fiercely. "Oh, it looks quite, ah, thrilling!" She reached out to run her fingertips over the outfit. "Gods, that has to be a tight fit, a second skin even." Ayame smirked next to her. "Can I try it on?"

"Of course dear! I would have it no other way, if only to see my work on such a beautiful body." He picked up the corset and a skirt, pausing to glance at her waist, before taking a pair of boots. "Right this way." He hummed contently as he led her across the way.

Taking the clothes from him, she stepped into the dressing room and let the plush, velvet curtain fall. As Nettie started to undress, she heard Ayame speak. "Do tell, my dear, who is this partner you'll be wrapping around your little finger?"

As she undid her bra, she was quite glad to have something separating them. She could feel the blush travel to her ears. "His name is Masaki Ieyoshi. He works some numbers at a big business…accountant and all." She wasn't sure why she mentioned that. A subconscious attempt to convince herself, to trick herself, that these 'meetings' were really business-related? "He's…"

At her long pause as she worked on getting the skirt on, Ayame prompted softly, "Yes?"

"He…uh…ha, oh this skirt will force me to shuffle rather than walk." She changed the topic. What was it about the man that made her nearly slip? Why did she feel so…comfortable? Well then again, they were in fairly intimate settings. When she brushed her hair back, she tried to put the corset on. "I should put the boots on first next time." After a moment of trying to lace the stays in the back, she blinked. "Um…Ayame?"

"Yes, Nettie?" Curiosity wrapped around his tone.

She bit her bottom lip for a moment. "I can't work the corset without a second pair of hands; it's actually a bit small."

"Hm? Really?" He gripped the curtain but didn't open it. "May I?"

"Please." She made sure that she was decent one last time.

When the curtain was pulled away, Ayame gasped. "Already it looks like it belongs on you! And that delightful blush you have, so innocent yet quite the opposite, hm?" He laughed airy, a noise that sounded familiar somehow, before he shook his head. He undid some of the stays in the back, adding, "Button the front first, then we will tie this up properly."

Nettie buttoned the front before glancing in the mirror, looking over her shoulder at the silver haired man. Her heart jumped when their eyes met. His serious look as he had been studying her altered when they did. He instantly smiled wide and nodding. When he reached forward to lace the back of the corset, his fingertips brushed against her skin. It was just a sliver and just for a moment, but it was enough to spread the blush down her neck.

Loathing how her blood so easily betrayed her, she was quick to comment, "No modesty panel, I see."

"Hmm," Ayame said in a hushed tone, "it would rather defeat the purpose given the nature of the outfit, wouldn't you agree?" Almost like a sadist, his fingertips brushed against her back once more before finishing. "There! Now gaze upon your commanding form and swoon as I have!"

When Nettie brought her eyes to her reflection, she gaped. "Oh." She breathed softly, running her hands over her obvious figure slowly. She turned slightly and smiled, taking in every angle. "Perfect."

"My thoughts exactly," Ayame commented, "There is simply no way that your Masaki will be able to resist you!"

Nettie laughed aloud at this, delighted by the idea. As soon as she did, however, she pressed a hand to her side and winced. "Breathless." She commented. "Hm, I think this corset might be a bit too…tall. It's digging into me at certain, ah, angles."

"Really? I suppose you are a bit short…perhaps I can make a new one for you, custom made to your measurements!" He suggested with excitement at the prospect.

"I…" she hesitated. Ayame's smile fell a bit in the mirror, wondering what was wrong. "Um, well…how much would that cost? I mean, how much is this?" Right. Finances. She nearly forgot.

"Hm, with the custom corset, the boots, the skirt…shall we say…twenty-five hundred yen?" Ayame offered.

Nettie ran the numbers through her head for a second. She smiled and nodded. "Yes, sounds perfect."

"Fantastic!" He proclaimed, "Shall we take your measurements now then? Unless you'd like to wait until my female employee returns in a few days?"

"No, no, that's fine. I want to try this out as soon as I can." She gave a weak laugh at her own eagerness. "I'll get part way dressed and then we can measure." The curtain closed, allowing her to undo the corset and put her bra on. The shirt would mess up the measurements. As she set the skirt aside, replacing it with her pants, Nettie noticed the price tag.

She nearly whimpered. The actual price of the outfit was almost twice as much as he quoted! And to think she was going to have a custom piece, something that would have been the quoted price alone! Nettie cleared her throat before stepping out, only slightly bothered by the awkward match of her outfit without a top.

Ayame had the long measuring tape out, pausing to look her over. He smiled and started to talk about how he designed the corsets with whalebone, how many panels, and so forth. The slight chill from the measuring tape raised goosebumps over her skin. Of the great ironic contrast, the occasional brushes of his fingertips made her face warm.

Once he had written down the numbers, he nodded. "Perfect! Hm, let's say a week before it's done? I'll contact you if it's finished early." Nettie put her shirt back on, brushing her hair back as it had gotten quite wild from all the changing. "Is there anything else I can show you, do for you? There are some lovely collars I have in the case! Even a few leashes, and…"

"O-oh, no, no." Nettie laughed with a hint of embarrassment. Leashes? Collars? She knew he didn't mean for dogs. "I've got to get home to make supper." Probably for an empty house. "Here," she wrote her number down before handing him the clipboard back, "contact me for any updates. I'm absolutely thrilled."

Ayame smiled wide before nodding. "Sounds like an excellent idea, Nettie! Until then!"


	2. Chapter 2

For the next three days after, Ayame contacted Nettie by call each day. Each conversation was about small details, preferences, and, at one point, just to see if she was certain about not wanting the leash and collar. Admittedly, each conversation veered off to casual talk of the day after the questions were answered. They were always during business hours, usually during their lunch hours.

Each night, Nettie would try to go about her evening while being alone. She would make dinner for two and leave the other portion in the oven for when Masaki returned drunk at two in the morning. She tried to go to bed by ten and, more difficult, she tried to fall asleep by midnight. No matter how much she tried, however, she worried about what, if any, bad things might happen to him. As a result, she only managed to sleep after he was gone.

On the fourth day after her visit to Ayame's shop, there was no phone call from the man at lunch. There was no call from him in the evening during supper. The house was silent. The radio could only do so much. When eight o'clock hit, Nettie gave into an impulse she had for weeks and, somehow, managed to fight off.

She opened a bottle of sake and started drinking. She played a game with the radio. For every song that had the word 'love', she would drink. It happened…fairly frequently. That coupled with her low tolerance resulted in a fairly intoxicated Nettie by nine thirty. She opened her phone and was about to text Masaki, to scowl and scoff in ways she had resisted while sober, when something else came to mind.

Ayame.

He hadn't called her today. The sober version of her would have said that clearly he was busy and, more to the point, there was no reason to call her if there was nothing wrong with the order. She had just been…spoiled by the past three days. And more so, she was lonely. He was also handsome, very handsome, and very lovely to be around.

But Nettie was not sober. She was emotional and inebriated. So against her better judgement, she did something she would regret in the morning.

 _"Hi."_ She texted Ayame.

A minute passed. Then another. Soon ten had, as did another shot of sake. Another five. Another five.

She was just about to get up and…do something – she had no idea what – when her phone buzzed. _"Hello Nettie~ Awake so late?"_ The text said. She could practically hear him speak it.

She glanced at the time. Since when did it turn to ten?! She should go to bed. She should text Ayame good night and go to bed in hopes of either sleeping or passing out. But she was lonely and this was the first contact she had outside of work since…well, since his shop.

 _"Hi! Yes, barely. Did I wake you from bed?"_ She didn't think about how it sounded or the fact that she used the wrong word.

Thankfully she didn't have to wait too long. A few minutes passed before her phone buzzed again. _"Nope, I just laid down."_ Immediately after that came another text. _"Did you want to edit something about the order?"_

Nettie frowned, her emotions swaying from one side to the other. The order. Of course. The corset. That's all that mattered. That was why he hadn't called, because there was nothing about the order to ask.

Again, the logical side of Nettie would berate herself. Of course it was just business. But the current state of Nettie, the drunk, hypersensitive side, immediately felt…heartbroken. Just another person she held business with, another person arm's length away. That sense of loneliness struck deep, deeper than before. She had no friends, no one but coworkers and clients. She was all alone in this country, her own boyfriend…

She dropped the phone on the table and stood on wobbly legs. She walked to the bedroom, ignoring the buzzing of her phone. Tossing her bra aside, she fell onto bed with the comforter under her. It took a moment to adjust to the room spinning, but soon she was out cold.

 _"Or did you wish to simply chat under the moon and stars? Though their twinkle cannot compare to your eyes when you laugh."_

 _"Nettie?"_

 _"My apologies, was that too forward? I'm afraid I often speak, or text in this case, without thinking it through."_

 _"Well, Miss Rowe, I hope I have not upset you. I'll bid you dreams that treat you kind."_

Four times. Her phone had buzzed four times after she passed out. Nettie hadn't heard the phone all the way away. Even if she had, she doubted she would have been able to stand after she flopped. Oh but now that she had emptied her stomach twice and called in sick to work, she looked over the texts. They were all about ten minutes apart.

Nettie nearly screamed in horror when she saw it. Oh gods, that was right, she had drunk-texted Ayame! And when he mentioned the corset…she got upset. Oh, what was going through his mind now? Drenched in guilt, she tried to text him about the situation. She got drunk because she was lonely, she was sorry to have bothered him. No, no, that wouldn't work. She got drunk and texted him, ignoring his texts once he…no, no. That didn't fit either. She got drunk, texted him, and passed out? Well, it was stretching the truth but…

Just as she had finished writing the third draft, still lying in bed to do so, the phone rang. It was Ayame! Nettie nearly threw the phone away as though it were a bug. No, she thought, that was childish. Plus, given the wording of his messages and the way he acted before, it wasn't fair to him.

"A-Ayame." She greeted with a rough voice. She cleared her throat before forcing herself to stand, to get water from the bathroom sink. "Sorry, one…cough, one moment."

"Nettie?" Ayame's familiar voice came through the speaker, concern edging it, "Are you alright? You don't sound too good. Are you hurt?"

After downing some water, she winced. "No, not quite." There, she sounded back to normal. "I'm sorry to have worried you, Ayame. I'm fine, well, not fine, but I'm not sick. Just…hungover." Instantly she blushed in shame at the admission. He would be able to read between the lines.

"Oh? I'm sorry to hear, that's always such a dreadful punishment to follow a night of fun." He paused, his dramatic tone falling back to that of one lined with concern. "I…hope my texts last night did not cross a line? If I had upset you…"

Nettie blinked. Did he just…? So he didn't quite read between the lines. He was actually concerned that he had offended her! When Ayame called her name again, she shook herself out of it. "Ah, no, no! Not at all, Ayame, really. In fact, I should apologize to you, for disturbing your evening. I…I um, I had a bit much to drink and…well, when you responded, I pretty much just, ah, passed out."

There was a long pause on the other line.

Nettie added, a slight panic filling her veins. "It's just, well, I hadn't heard from you that day and I thought, I mean, my illogical self had just, wanted to, uh, reach out and…and then you…I…shit, please say something." She felt her stomach churn again but this time it wasn't from the alcohol.

"I thought," Ayame sounded surprised, "that I was keeping you from your work, so I didn't call yesterday." Pause. "And have no worries, you didn't disrupt my evening in the slightest – if anything, you made it even better! Dull and dreary it was before you contacted me, haha!"

Nettie had to sit down from the wave of relief she felt. Laughing with him albeit shakily, she felt lighter. "Ah, misunderstandings all around then."

"Are you at work right now?"

"No, I had to call in. Like I said, hangover as punishment."

"Tsk, ah, right." Ayame mused before turning back to the airy voice, "Were you celebrating something last night?"

Again, there was an awkward pause. Nettie was no longer laughing, but biting her bottom lip. When he spoke her name again, she knew she couldn't just stay silent. "Not…exactly. It was more…it wasn't a celebration." She settled on that. Without giving him a chance to inquire more, she said, "I would hate to keep you away from your work; just because I played hooky doesn't mean you should. Perhaps…well, I mean…if you would…if you're bored throughout the day and something comes to mind, um…"

What was she doing? Here was a man who owned his own lingerie and costume store, who was working on a custom corset for her, who had measured her in nothing but a bra…and she found herself tongue-tied. It was pathetic, she scowled herself fiercely. It was a professional relationship, transaction even, and yet here she was reaching out desperately for contact. He was probably just putting up with her nonsense out of pity or because of money. And…and yet, she had reached such a low point that…she didn't care. Out of pity, out of greed, whatever his reason for putting up with her, she didn't care so long as she had _someone_ to reach out to.

Ayame finished her sentence when she drifted into silence. "Text you when absolute sheer brilliance strikes me? I think it's a grand idea, to keep some inspirations to myself would be selfish to the world!" He gave a short laugh before adding, "You must do the same, won't you?"

"Yes, of course." Nettie giggled as she made her way to the kitchen.

"Fantastic!" Ayame claimed. He paused before, from what it sounded, snapping his fingers. "What do you know, I just had a strike of inspiration! Perhaps instead of calling over lunch tomorrow…we meet up at this delicious restaurant I know? My treat!"

"W-what? Oh, no, I…" she fell silent for a moment. What else did she have to lose? "I'll pay for myself, Ayame, really."

"Hm, as you say." There was something in his tone that suggested he would have none of it tomorrow. "I'll text you the address…noon, I imagine?"

"Yes! It sounds like fun." She smiled, surprised at the fluttering in her stomach.

"Excellent!" Ayame declared, "Oh, a customer just walked in. Feel better, Nettie!" With a laugh, he ended the call.

* * *

The pair of them texted throughout the day and well into the night, just shy of midnight. Nettie didn't mind staying up that late – it wasn't like she had been able to actually fall asleep before then anyway. When she did comment about the time to him, Ayame merely said that artists were accustomed to limited hours of rest and never felt the effect. He was just so damn cheery that Nettie couldn't doubt him.

Their conversation went from what the most common costume bought was, from what sex, how often, and so forth. They also spoke of her own job and how several writers were either complete assholes or childish most of the time – she didn't mention names. Then their texts just went as is to whatever suited the moment; the weather, food, music, alcohol of choice.

In the morning when she woke, seeing Masaki's side empty but warm to suggest he had left before her, she sighed. Before she could get too beat up about it, her phone buzzed.

 _"Whatever should I wear to our lunch today? The red coat or the gold one?"_

Before Nettie could help herself, a laugh escaped her lips. _"You're asking fashion advice from a woman who wears dull colored pant suits because they're already put together for her?"_

Almost immediately she got a return text. _"Oh! You poor, poor dear! We must remedy that with a shopping trip post-haste!"_

A giggle left her. She could almost hear him say the words out loud, emphasizing on certain words and…and she could just picture that smile…oh. She just started to pour herself a cup of tea when she heard a noise behind her.

When Nettie spun around, kettle in hand for a weapon, she was stunned to see Masaki. His questioning brown eyes were on her, a briefcase in one hand and the other running through his near-wild black mess of hair. Something that she quite liked to attend to and play with. "What's so funny?"

Nettie set the kettle down and offered a weak smile. "Good morning to you as well, Masaki." She tried not to roll her eyes. "I was…reading something funny." She felt the absurd urge to stand in front of her phone just then.

"Oh? I thought you didn't have data on that phone." He raised a brow as he made to put his shoes on.

Something whispered to her to lie. It startled her worse than his surprise presence. Still, he acted on it. "I don't, it was a message from one of my writers, Shigure. You remember him, the one that acts a child, drove my co-worker into a fit of anxiety?"

"Ah, him, yes. He hasn't given you any trouble?" Masaki put his second shoe on.

Nettie picked up her cup of tea. "Nope, none at all. Nothing I can't handle at least. His deadline is next week actually. He claims that…"

"I'm going to be late to work." He said abruptly. "Have a good day at work, Net."

"You as well." Nettie mumbled watching him leave. She fell into a somewhat melancholy silence as she drank her tea. The distance between them was growing day by day. She gripped the tea cup tighter. What should…

Buzz.

She blinked and picked up her phone, having forgotten it for a minute. It was Ayame commenting that he would wear the red coat after all. Nettie smiled slightly. _"Shopping is a must one of these days! And while I'm glad to hear you picked red…it isn't terribly cold outside. Won't you be hot?"_

She put her cup away and grabbed a piece of fruit before heading to work. Buzz. _"I get cold easily. I can't imagine lasting even one day in the hottest summer of England though, haha!"_

Nettie brushed a curl behind her ear, grinning like an idiot as she responded. _"Never take you to England without three coats, check! Just got to work. See you at lunch?"_

 _"I wait with bated-breath, Nettie."_

* * *

The morning flew by, thankfully. It was only when Nettie stepped outside of her office did she paused. Navy pant suit. Oh, she looked so…plain and dull. Her outfit choice…ugh. Well, it wasn't as though she had anything else to wear. Not only that, but she couldn't dash home and change even if she did have something better.

Fighting off the sudden attack of self-consciousness, Nettie walked over to the agreed meeting place a few blocks away. When she got to it, she looked around and spotted a familiar silver haired man in a red coat. With a smile, she walked quietly behind him. She took a second to take him in. He was staring at the wall, seemingly lost in thought. There was a slight frown from this angle, she thought; was it true or was she seeing things?

"Hi." She spoke softly to his left.

Ayame jumped slightly and looked over to her, smiling instantly. "Ah, hello again Nettie!" He gestured to the seat next to him. "Please, sit! You look quite vibrant today, the color in your face makes you look so alive." Said color deepened at the mention of it.

Nettie chuckled as she sat down. "Ah, that, well." She shrugged off her jacket, placing it on the back of the chair. They were closer to the stove, a warmer place. Outside it was just the first sign of autumn, cool winds. He must really get cold easily, she thought, to be wrapped up and close to a heating source. "You look quite toasty."

"Indeed, it feels splendid!" He paused to order tea for the pair of them. "How are you?"

Nettie startled, the menu she just picked up falling from her fingertips. There was a trace of concern in his voice, similar to when he had called yesterday. Her smile was tentative then. She was just…reading too much into it, yes. Overthinking. "Fine, just fine." She busied herself with her tea once it was placed before her. "And what about yourself?" Pause. "I thought I spotted a frown on your face a moment ago." Then she flushed almost as bright as her hair at such an admission.

Ayame blinked before laughing at her statement. "Ah, I don't wish to trouble you with my problems."

"Well, I asked so, tell. If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have inquired." Nettie pointed out with a smile.

"True, very true." He chuckled. "Ah," he said while pointing to the menu, "I highly recommend the potsticker plate!"

Nettie blinked as she looked at him a moment longer. Did he just…? He did! He avoided the question as she had…done to…him. Hm. Touche, she thought. "Potsticker plate it is." She smiled to the cook before pushing the menu aside. The pair fell into a brief lapse of silence. Perhaps, she thought, they were both thinking about their problems. Finally, she stated in a hushed tone, "This morning was the most conversation I've had with my boyfriend in…about a week. Even then, it was just a few sentences."

Even over the clatter and noise of the kitchen, Ayame heard her. It was apparent by how he turned his head to look at her. Nettie gripped her cup tighter, her heart pounding. It was difficult to be so open, even if it wasn't the entire story. Immediately the negative thoughts came pouring on her.

It was pathetic to share her love life troubles with this man. It was pathetic to talk to him, to text him, to make small talk and have discussions that didn't center around the purpose of business. To think that she would even offer that much of her troubles up was humiliating, how could she be so stupid to think that he'd genuinely care?

Just as Nettie was about to speak, to apologize, to make up some lame excuse to dash out of the place, he spoke. "My younger brother told me he doesn't want to see me for…for a long time. He's always said something like that, not so much lately, but this time…"

It was Nettie's turn to look at him. It was his turn to look off in the distance, at the wall rather than his cup. It wasn't unlike how she found him at first. So they divulged a little bit of their lives, an exchange. Building a relationship that was more than just business, she figured.

Clink, clink. The plates of food were set before them. Ayame was the first to break the somber mood. "Mm! It smells as delicious as it is, I can assure you. My mouth waters every time! Eat, Nettie, eat!"

Nettie smiled, brushing a loose curl behind her ear before breaking apart her chopsticks. "Looks amazing as well." She took a bite and smiled. "It is! Great suggestion, Ayame." She looked over at the man who grinned after he sipped his drink.

In between bites, they spoke of their other favorite places to eat, things they didn't like, and so forth. It felt like they had picked up from where they left off with texting. She usually could hear him read the text in her mind anyway, so it wasn't too different to her.

"You said you get cold easily…how do you survive the winter?" She finished her second cup of tea.

"I try to stay in warm places as much as I can and dress accordingly. Of course even with my precautions I…sometimes get sick." He admitted, his eyes darkening slightly.

Nettie blinked. "Really? How often? You mean, like, the flu?"

"Once or twice a year, yes." He admitted.

"How the…do you have a weak immune system? Pardon, that was rude to ask outright." Nettie set her chopsticks down.

Ayame did the same, finished with his meal. "No, it's alright. It's just, ah, in my nature." He said lightly.

Nettie nodded and let it go. "Nevertheless, this was a simply delicious meal. Thank you for inviting and showing me this new place."

The silver haired man chuckled. "Of course, my pleasure. I figured we both needed it – especially after certain hangovers." He grinned. He placed money down and said before she could protest, "And because of that, please allow me the similar pleasure of paying for your meal."

Nettie opened her mouth, about to say something else when she thought about it. Finally she nodded. "Alright, but only if you allow me to buy your meal next time." Then a soft pink came across her cheeks. Next time. It was a bold statement.

Ayame seemed to think similar as his own grin grew. "Next time, you say, hm? That sounds like a deal, my dear." They stood. Nettie giggled with relief. "Allow me to walk you to your work?"

"As long as it won't be a hindrance to you?" She raised a brow.

"Not at all! And what sort of gentleman would I be to allow a lady to walk without an escort?"

With that, they were off.

* * *

The walk was quiet enough, both taking in the nice day despite the breeze. Ayame kept himself tightly bundled. Their footsteps fell into sync after the first block. It felt nice to just exist with someone, Nettie thought.

It wasn't until the second block that he broke the silence. "He doesn't know what he's missing, living with you in silence. All yours thoughts and musings are intriguing…to willfully refuse them, he must be insane."

It took a moment for Nettie to comprehend who he was speaking about with an edge of concern. Ah, Masaki. Nettie glanced from the corner of her eye at him. He was looking straight ahead. That action alone gave the feeling of privacy, something she appreciated. "Yes well…perhaps he simply heard all of my thoughts over the past near four years." She swallowed thickly. Maybe he was just tired of her… "But," she forced the words from her mouth, "with this new outfit, perhaps it'll draw him back. Something new, and all." She mumbled softly.

Ayame didn't say anything, not at first. What was going on in his head? Did he agree? Did he disagree?

Nettie wasn't stupid. She was aware that her relationship was at a breaking point, a patch where they either fixed it and went on, or it stopped. The only thing that kept her from ending it already was, well, financial reasons. She had no place to stay otherwise, her family didn't have the resources or room for her. And, truth be told, she wasn't quite ready to give up on nearly four years. She had always been told that relationships had to be worked on together…and this, this outfit? It was her attempt to make it work. What would his attempt be? Or would it just be a reaction? That would decide so much for her; however, first she needed the outfit.

They stopped at the front of her workplace. A few ladies looked over and whispered to each other, giggling about the silver haired prince that escorted her. "Just a couple more days and you'll have to wait no longer for the results!" He offered cheerily.

Did he really approve of her plan? Did he think it smart or stupid? More importantly, why did she care so much? "Thank you for your creativity, kindness, and lunch." She smiled, willing the thoughts away.

"You are worth it, Nettie." Ayame's tone was soft, almost hushed, as she walked into the building.

* * *

The next two days were similar to the day before. Full of texts, laughs, and somewhat uneasy evenings. Though she awoke every time Masaki came home at two in the morning, she was at least able to fall asleep at eleven. At one point, Ayame had even sent her a picture of the corset nearly done, adding a winky face to the end of the message.

Nettie was thrilled. It wasn't just at the update, but at the fact that it was only one mention of the corset since they had met a few days ago for lunch. It furthered the delusion, she thought, that they could be friends.

The morning of the seventh day, her phone buzzed while she was in the shower. The message was the picture of the final corset and text reading _"Ready! Come over after work ;)"_ Masaki had been just about to leave for his job when he heard the phone buzz – it was a far more frequent noise lately than before, he had noticed. When he glanced at the message on his girlfriend's phone, he scowled deeply before storming out.

Nettie had no idea.

"Oh, it's…it's beautiful, Ayame. Thank you so much!" Nettie turned and took a step forward. The urge to hug him, to thank him, was overwhelming. It was only when she caught a flash of something uncommon cross his face did she stop herself in time. Her stomach churned when she realized what the flash was: fear.

Seeing that she wasn't about to do as he thought, Ayame smiled. "Beauty to match its owner, hm?" He relaxed. "I'm very glad you like it. And…I hope your Masaki likes it as well."

Doused with cold water, that was what Nettie felt like at that moment. She quickly forced her facial expression to warp into one of cheer and excitement. "Yes, I'm sure…he will." Masaki, yes. That was…what all of this was for. One chance. "Well, I'll just change back and pay you, get out of your hair so you can close up shop. It's supposed to be very chilly tonight and I wouldn't want you to be caught in that."

"Of course, how thoughtful." Ayame mused as Nettie closed the curtain, undressing quickly but carefully.

When she walked over to the counter and dug into her purse for the money, she paused. Her phone was blinking. "Er, you didn't text me just now did you?" She glanced up at the man. When he shook his head with a look of confusion, she looked at the message. "Oh! It's Masaki! He said…wow, he said he's home already and he can't wait to see me. That's…the first time in months." She mumbled to herself.

"That he's been home?" Ayame inquired.

Nettie blushed softly. He didn't know all the story. He didn't know that Masaki often, always, went from work to the strip club until the bar closed. To admit such a thing would be humiliating to her, so instead she cleared her throat. "Let's see, here you are! Although really this piece is quite priceless." She placed the money down, as well as a bit extra, and offered a shy grin. "I should head home."

"Hmm, you should." Ayame winked, laughing when she reddened. "Text me when you have the time, to tell me all the details?" He asked without shame.

Nettie giggled while covering her warm cheek. "I, I shall. Thank you, my creative artist…friend." She blushed harder at the word.

Ayame, however, looked ecstatic that she used it. He clasped his hands together, almost floating on air if he could. "My absolute pleasure, my dear, anything if it will lead to the greatest happiness that you deserve!"

With that light tone, Nettie left to try and save her relationship.

"Masaki?" She called out when she entered the house, wondering if she could dart into the bathroom to change real fast. Seeing no lights on downstairs, but a glow higher up, she walked upstairs. "Where be you in these dark halls of…oh, hi." Having started off with an old joke in which they would talk as though in a Shakespearian play, she quickly stopped when she spotted the man. Well, there went the jest, something that hadn't been done in a year. Perhaps he forgot.

"Nettie." He greeted, his tired eyes traveling over to the bag in her hand. Just as she tried to hide it, not wanting to ruin the surprise, he spoke again. This time, it was sharper. "What's that?"

Confused by his tone, she hesitated just for a moment. "Uh, it's…a surprise." Well, it was.

This only seemed to irritate him further. "A surprise, huh? For who?"

Nettie frowned. "Originally it was for you, but I'm starting to dislike your tone." She placed her hands on her hips.

"So I was right," his eyes narrowed, "you _are_ cheating on me!"

There was a long pause of silence, not because of guilt but because of utter confusion. When the moment passed, another moment of silence occurred. This time, it was simple irony. "Y…you…I…alright. Where to start?" She was caught between wanting to laugh and wanting to shout. "You think I'm cheating on you? You, the one in this relationship that goes to strip clubs every night…every fucking night. And suddenly I'm the one cheating on you? Where the hell did you get that idea?"

"From your phone this morning." Masaki snapped, choosing to ignore the former part of her statement. "A corset from a guy, from this 'Ayame'?! He sent you a winky face, telling you to stop by after work. So that's why you weren't here when I got back!"

Nettie's jaw dropped from the surprise, the utter lack of logic, in all of this. Then it hit her. "Wait, you went through my phone?! What makes it alright to invade my privacy?! I have authors in that thing that go by pennames, sensitive information is exchanged!"

"I didn't go through it! I just saw the picture _he_ sent." Once again, he chose only to address certain parts. "So how long have you been with him? Well?!"

Shaking her head, she scoffed. "You know what, Masaki? I'm done. You're making no sense, you're completely selfish and acting completely stupid. It's like you're looking for a reason to…never mind. I'm going to make dinner, leave me alone." She started to walk past him to the kitchen when he grabbed her arm suddenly. "Hey!" He took her phone from her pocket. "Give that back, you ass!" She dropped the bag in the attempt to grab her piece of technology.

He kept his arm out to keep her away as he fiddled with her phone. Within a moment, he was back-reading the conversation Ayame and her had been having for a while. The more Nettie shouted and tried to shove him, to get the phone back, the more he shoved her back. As he read, his face gradually turned red, his jaw set. "You were flirting with him! How long has this been going on? The texts only go back a few days, did you delete the others?!"

"Masaki, you're fucking insane. I haven't done anything unfaithful. As I said, I'm the one staying up late to worry about your drunken ass while you go out to strip clubs and spend all your money! Give me my phone back right now!" She commanded, her own face tinged with the red of fury.

He threw her phone down the hall and reached for the bag, ignoring her shout of 'hey!' "What's this?! You slut, is this what you wore for him?! Did he buy you this?!" He flung the skirt down the hall after her phone. Her boots sailed after it. He was gripping the corset, looking as though he wished to tear it apart.

"Actually," Nettie said through gritted teeth, "he made it for me and I bought it! It was a business transaction and relationship, nothing more. The outfit was supposed to be a surprise for you, before you went off the handle!" She went to pick up her things from the floor, scowling. "I was really hoping to give this relationship another shot, one more chance. I thought, maybe you were going to these whores because you were bored of our sex life, because I hadn't been active lately. I thought, if I could try this one thing, we'll either keep going or end it. Well, thanks for answering my question without my need to dress up, ass! We're through!" She put all but the corset back in the back, her phone included. "Do you hear me, Masaki?! We're fucking done! Broken up! No more! Go eat shit!" Her voice raised with each word.

She grabbed the corset in his hands with the intent to pull it away and storm off. Masaki, however, had other plans. Throughout her speech his fury had doubled. When she took hold of the corset, he swung the back of his hand against her cheek.

Nettie stumbled, almost fell over, but kept hold of the corset. It was what kept her standing. "You fucking…"

Before she could finish the sentence, he swung the corset around, pulling her with it. Only when Nettie was before the staircase did he let go. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him, holding the corset though it offered no support. She flew from the motion, feeling the last step behind her.

She blinked.

Then she fell down the staircase.

When Nettie opened her eyes again, she wasn't sure how much time had passed. Her body ached all over and her head was ringing. This was only what she could feel through the shock, the numbing shock. When she finally managed to get her eyes to travel up towards the staircase she had just been tossed down, she felt her fury return.

Masaki.

She pushed herself off the ground, wincing. It was a required effort though, making her tremble. "Leave." She panted the order. "Get out. Get out!"

"My name is on the lease! Even if you pay it, it's my…"

"I'll call the cops. Leave. They'll lock you away regardless of whose name is on what." She spoke through gritted teeth. She leaned her shoulder against the wall, unable to do more than simply sit up for the time being. Her chest and back ached fiercely though, a sharp sting to her wrist when she moved it. "Now."

The mention of police had caught his attention. The company he worked for would fire him for any negative publicity – i.e. an arrest. The man growled before going to their bedroom to pack some clothes. Within a minute, he returned. On his way down, he kicked the bag – the bag that proved her 'unfaithfulness' down the stairs before traveling after it. He stepped over her and the messy of the bag before storming out of the house.

Nettie sat there for another minute – or was it five? She closed her eyes and then opened them to see it was night. How long had she been out? Did she have a concussion? Any broken bones? She shifted, pushing the bag away from her. The boots had flown out of it and landed behind her. Her phone rest in front on top of the corset.

She was no longer in shock. When she made to stand, she felt just where her body screamed at her. Her ankle protested, her wrist shrieked, her face and head ached fierce, and it felt as though her ribs had been cracked. She prayed the latter was just sore and not really fractured. Her back, however, felt incredibly tender – bruises, she thought, along with her shoulder blades.

She was a wreck.

Nettie sat back down. She would have to get ice from the kitchen, bathe, elevate her ankle, eat, rest. All the while, she had to be sure not to fall asleep not only from the possibility of a concussion, but from the possibility that Masaki might change his mind and return. A weapon, she thought, she needed a weapon.

Everything she needed was far away from her, either upstairs or in the kitchen.

Not to mention, there was the issue of…well, everything else. He was right, this house belonged to him legally despite her money having filled it lately. She was lacking financial comfort, especially after buying this fucking outfit. The thought made her eyes water, a twisted smile on her lips. Ironic. She needed to move out…but where? Or, or should she call the cops? How would that mess up her ability to live here, a foreign visitor? She had nowhere to…

Buzz.

Her phone.

Who was it? What did they want? Was it Masaki apologizing, tormenting her in a text? She made to pick up the phone with her right hand but winced, her wrist protesting. Switching to her left, she opened the message.

 _"Sooo…how'd it go? ;)"_

It was Ayame!

Nettie stared at the message for a long minute. Finally she chuckled. The chuckle transformed into a giggle, then a laugh. It was a near-hysterical laugh, one that ended with tears falling down her face. The irony was too great, the pain too much both physical and mental…how did it go?

She let the phone fall into her lap as she cried. It went…it went, that's how. She was now single, at the bottom of a staircase bruised and beaten, and an utter emotional wreck of confusion and anger.

Whether or not she would call the cops was an issue to determine later, she decided. Right now, she needed to get cleaned up, wrapped up, fed, and rest. Thankfully tomorrow was Saturday, allowing her two days to recover before work.

Work…

That was how she would get money to leave. Shigure's manuscript was due Monday so she would stop by Sunday, to throw him off guard. Er, if she was well enough to do so. If she could finish editing quickly, she'd get paid for the extra hours and get a better grip on this situation. Yes…

Nettie wasn't sure how long it took for her to get from the floor to the couch, stomach full of food, drink, and pain killers. Her body was wrapped with blankets, pillows, so forth. She would check for damage tomorrow after some rest. It would be a fitful sleep, she knew, as she kept one eye on the door. One hand toyed with the TV remote, the other lingering near the large knife she had chosen to protect her.

Midnight, she realized. It was midnight. The re-runs of a poorly made show only came on at midnight and it was on now. She looked at her phone that had been silent since Ayame's text a few hours ago. He hadn't contacted her again, probably thinking that she was…busy with his creation and Masaki.

Her heart ached. The feeling of loneliness hit her hard – almost as hard as falling down stairs, she thought. She had no friends to tell this to, to stay at for safety and help. Yet she didn't want to worry Ayame, to bring her troubles to him. Still…she wanted to talk to someone about anything, something, just…

Would he even be awake? He often stopped talking around eleven or so. What if she woke him?

It was midnight.

Biting her bottom lip, she picked up her phone with her left hand. That's what friends did though, right? Even as awkward as they were, having started as business…and he had lit up when she called him her friend today. Surely that meant something! Didn't friends reach out in an hour of need? Help? Listen? Was she really throwing her problems at him when, as a friend, in theory at least, he would be willing to listen, to help, to…

An epiphany struck her.

Friendship altered the word "selfish".

So she opened his message and responded. _"Bad."_ It was the truth. She wouldn't, couldn't, tell him everything right away…not through text certainly. But it was an answer to prove she wasn't ignoring him, it was an answer to his curiosity, and it was just enough of the truth that slated Nettie's desire to reach out to someone.

When she hit Send, she hadn't expected a response until, well, morning. She thought he was asleep. She had just set her phone back down when it buzzed. It was loud, ridiculously loud against the table, and made her jump. Her ribs snarled at her for the sudden movement, her shoulders cursing at her from the tension. "Fuck." She whispered before picking up the phone again.

It was Ayame!

 _"What?! What happened?! How could he resist a force of beauty and fire like yourself?! And while wearing my creation!"_

Well, she reasoned, if he had been asleep, that certainly woke him. She was in the middle of texting 'it's a long story' when her screen changed to his name. He was calling her! Feeling suddenly unsure, she pressed the green button and held the phone to her face. "H-hello?" She winced when the phone pressed against her cheek, the cheek that Masaki had struck. Originally she didn't want to move the phone to the other side because she thought she might miss what he had to say.

That concern was quickly struck down when he spoke. "DID YOU HURT HIM IN YOUR PASSION? WAS HE UNABLE TO PERFORM?! DID HE COWER BEFORE YOU?! WHATEVER HAPPENED, MY DEAR NETTIE?!" She held the phone away from her, wincing as she tried to get her hearing back.

Placing the phone close to her lips though away from her ear, given his shouts, she tried to answer. Nothing. Then when she spoke, it wasn't quite what she had intended. "I hope I didn't wake you with my text."

The somber, tired tone had shook Ayame out of his excitement. When he spoke next, it was quieter. She had to hurriedly place the phone against her good side to hear him, "…didn't think before I called, are you able to talk? Is he with you?" Pause. "Are you alright?"

Nettie didn't respond right away. She felt sluggish. She blamed the pain killers, the late night, the emotional roller-coaster, and the injuries. When she did speak, her throat felt like it was on fire. "I can talk." With a start, she realized it was because of the tears that had been welling up in the silence. She swallowed thickly, wiping away a few of the tears despite being alone. With a stronger voice, she added, "He left. I made him leave." She didn't answer his last question. The rough voice had answered it.

"What did he do?" Ayame asked in that edged voice. When Nettie didn't answer, his voice grew darker. "Nettie, did he…"

Before he could finish the sentence, Nettie interrupted him. "I'm tired." It had crossed her mind that if Ayame came over, if she asked him to or if she even told him the truth, Masaki might still be watching the house. Something bad could happen. Isolation was safer at least for now. "It's a long story, Ayame, one I'll tell you about another time. I'm going to try and sleep now." She hesitated. "I'll talk to you tomorrow?"

Silence. Finally he sighed. "It is rather late. Promise me, though, that you'll call me immediately if something happens. Do not wait until tomorrow. Alright?"

"Deal. Good night, Ayame."

Concern and something else laced his voice. "Good night…Nettie."


	3. Chapter 3

Nettie napped in thirty minute increments or so throughout the night. She jolted awake at any noise the house made, any noise that might be Masaki. When it was two in the morning, she stayed up til four, just to be sure he wouldn't walk in drunk as before. This cycle kept up until noon when she finally fell into a deep, albeit fitful, sleep.

By the time she woke, it was four in the afternoon. She sat up and hissed, all too well aware of the aftermath of last night. Nothing had changed except, perhaps, a few painful spots had gotten worse now that the pain killers had worn off. She reached over for her phone with her left hand, startled to see she had missed six texts and two missed calls.

All from Ayame.

She called him back before she pushed off the blanket. She gingerly placed her feet on the floor, another hiss leaving her just before he answered. "Good evening, yes, sorry about that, Ayame. I just woke up." She wanted to get up and get water, some pills, food, and use the bathroom; however, she dare not move least it cause pain and more noise to give her away. Damn, why hadn't she called him after all of that? Oh, right, concern.

"Finally! I thought you had been cast into the deepest and darkest of dungeons! If I knew where you live, I would have come right over! Are you alright? What's happened?!" There was more panic in his voice than she had expected, relief mixed in.

"Dungeon?" She couldn't help but grin slightly. "We're not in England, Ayame, there are no worthy dungeons here to hold me." The poor jest aside, she sighed. "I'm…alright." How to say it? How to voice it? It wasn't just a matter of tact, but the ability to physically spit out the words.

Ayame had proven her theory correct. They were friends, he cared, she cared. It had taken a lot to tell him that it went bad, simple as that. But to state what really happened? Her throat closed at the idea. To be so open, so vulnerable…to reveal how she had been tossed about like a ragdoll…it was humiliating. She felt…unable to cope with it. It would make it real…make her weak…

"Nettie." Ayame's tone was alarmingly serious for the first time in…well, since she met him. "What happened?"

He knew. Or, he suspected. Nettie closed her eyes tight. "I'm not…ready to talk about it." It was the truth. "I'm sorry. Please don't be worried though, I…I'm alright now."

"And before? What…" he seemed to catch himself. "Will you at least answer me one thing?"

"Hm?"

"Are you in danger?"

"No." Nettie's stomach churned. "I don't think so." The cops…maybe she should contact them. Maybe… "I promise I'm okay now. If something changes, I'll contact the authorities…and you." Pause. "I need to shower and eat something. Can we text?"

"Of course," he didn't sound fully convinced, but let it go begrudgingly. "Perhaps we can do dinner?"

Dinner? She was nearly flat broke. Not only couldn't she pay for his as she had promised last time, but she couldn't even pay for herself. And, more so, she didn't think she could walk or sit in public, not now. She had no idea what she even looked like, though her cheek throbbed. "Not today…Monday, perhaps?" Before he could inquire about Sunday, she added, "I'm going to go surprise a client of mine tomorrow. He likes to play games with his work and deadlines."

Ayame paused though she assumed it was because of her refusal. Before she could assure him otherwise, he spoke with a lighter tone than before. "Monday sounds great. But…" he hesitated. "If you need anything…?"

Let him know. He would come over and help, deliver, whatever. For a moment, she thought about telling him her address…just in case. It would also be nice to have company…maybe some ice cream…but no. There were too many issues with that. Masaki, her injuries, explaining…

"Of course, thank you. I'll text you after I'm out of the shower." Any other time she would think she was being excessive, she may have even worried that he thought her to be overbearing. But given everything that had happened, she didn't think twice about it.

"I await your witty words."

* * *

Sunday came. Her ankle was sore but she could walk on it for a few minutes at a time. Her right wrist still screamed every time she tried to use it – probably fractured or sprained or something. Nettie had no idea. Her cheek was colored ugly with blues so dark that they were nearly black, a mark that would remain for at least two weeks. While her head didn't ache entirely, there was one spot that did. Her ribs were sore, her shoulders sore, but otherwise fine. Her back, however, were marked in similar colors but in far stranger shapes – the result of the stairs.

Packing her purse, slipping the kitchen knife in just in case, she went to dress. It was chilly outside, but she couldn't stand the idea of wearing anything heavy on her bruised body. She put on a gray pant suit but without the jacket, the shirt short-sleeved as to not bother her wrist. The collar, thankfully, hid the marks that dared to peek up from her shoulder. As for her face…she dug up some old makeup, foundation she bought to test out and never bothered with it again.

It did the trick despite every stroke calling for a hiss of pain.

And despite the absurdity of it, instead of her usual shoes, she wore sandals. She couldn't stand the idea of anything around her ankle. It looked ridiculous in her outfit, but she didn't care. With this, she sent Ayame a text saying that she would message him after she 'worked' a bit. As an afterthought, seeing as how decently put together she was, she added in another message that perhaps they could get a snack if he was up for it.

His response consisted of glee at the prospect and assurance that the silence would work out, as he was visiting his cousins and brother today.

The journey to Shigure's was quiet. She didn't put the radio on in her car. She parked as close as she could before walking the rest of the trek, wishing they had a more...car-friendly driveway. When she got to the door from the long walk, her ankle throbbed fierce and she had gone a bit pale from pushing through the pain. Unbeknownst to her, such new color had made her foundation cover-up stand out a bit.

She knocked and waited.

The door slid open just as a familiar shout was heard – Kyo, no doubt. The person at the door, however, was none other than the young lady of the house. "Miss Rowe! Hello, we weren't expecting you. Or, at least, Shigure hasn't mentioned…"

"Tohru, hello." Nettie interrupted softly, gritting her teeth as she stood on the other foot. She wanted nothing more than to sit down at this point, manuscript received or not. "Yes, I was hoping to surprise Shigure and get his work a day early. Might I come in, it's a bit…chilly outside." It wasn't, really. It was cool outside but given the sweat she had worked up from her walk, Nettie could feel a bit of sweat travel down her back.

"Oh, yes, yes, of course! Come in, please!" She stepped back and allowed Nettie to walk in, slipping off her shoes with a grimace. "I'll go make some more tea! We have another visiting, so…"

"Yes, that would be lovely, please and thank you, Tohru." Nettie interrupted once more, her control on keeping her facial expression neutral slipping. Already she hadn't corrected Tohru for using her last name, which Tohru had faintly been aware of.

When Tohru went to the kitchen, Nettie let herself lean against the wall and try to catch her breath. Eventually she got the pain under control enough to wobble to the sitting room. She could hear Kyo shouting about someone not staying there, then Yuki's voice was heard, mumbled since he was not yelling. Shigure said something she couldn't understand, but this was good. It meant that he didn't know she was there.

Most of the color had returned to her face after she got the pain under control. She felt tired, worn, but capable of witty remarks if need be. When she leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms gingerly to avoid her right wrist aching, she put her weight on her uninjured foot. "I'm willing to bet half my salary that you already have the manuscript done a day early Shigur-Ayame!?"

Sitting at the table was the familiar silver haired man cloaked in red. He turned at hearing his name, their eyes meeting. She stood a bit taller at this, her green eyes widening. "Nettie?!" He exclaimed with surprise, "Oh, I see! So you're the editor that Gure…ah, yes, it all makes sense now! Hahaha!" He stood.

"But how are…oh. Sohma. You _are_ related to…oh my gods." Her face flushed a brilliant shade of red – except where the foundation-covered bruise was on her cheek. "I'm such an idiot!"

"Huh?" Kyo voiced his confusion.

Yuki blinked from his spot. "You two know each other?"

Ayame gave a rather loud laugh, waving the question away as he answered, "Yes, yes, she recently purchased a custom-made outfit from me! It was quite a lovely creation, but nowhere as lovely as her fiery curls. And how they contrasted one another, the black as dark as oil, the hair was red as blood – a delightful picture of…"

Kyo and Yuki twitched at the description, mumbling that it sounded horrific. Nettie hardly noticed, didn't even care. Another wave of warmth, of sweat, traveled throughout her body. She worked to bring herself back, back from the surprise and the pain she felt when she stood suddenly on both her feet. "I had no idea, I mean I should have realized that you two…but…oh."

"Tea's ready!" Tohru walked in from the other door. She paused to see Nettie and blinked. "Are you alright, Miss Rowe? Maybe you should sit down."

"Yes, sit." Nettie took half a step but hesitated, unsure of where to sit.

Ayame's gaze hadn't left her and even though he kept his smile on, his eyes were a bit darker. "Here, sit by me! The heater is great right here!"

Nettie obeyed without much thought. She took a seat, holding her breath to keep from crying out or grimacing, with her legs crossed under the table. She tried to subtly stretch out her injured ankle while not brushing against the heater. Her shoulders ached, her ribs and back shouting louder in agony. The effort had taken a lot out of her though, resulting in a brief white flash in her gaze and static to fill her ears.

She had been focusing on her breathing – in deep, out slow, Buddha-belly – when a hand waved before her. She startled, looking up at the owner of said hand. "Oh, Ayame…yes?"

"I called your name three times…is it really so shocking that I'm related to Shigure?" Ayame gave an unsure laugh.

The pain subsided, as did the static. Her vision cleared. "Shigure…oh, right, that's why I'm here." She looked at the writer, putting the best growl in her voice. "Manuscript. Complete. Me. Before I leave. And I won't leave until I have it. No games this time, Shigure."

"You won't be leaving until after you've tried some of Tohru's delicious cooking then!" Shigure claimed, toying with his fan.

"Don't volunteer Tohru to cook more!" Kyo shouted, slamming his fist into the table.

"Oh, I don't mind!" Tohru volunteered as she placed a cup of green tea before Nettie. Whether she noticed or not, Ayame kept his gaze on the redhead.

"What is for dinner anyway?" Yuki asked quietly.

"Stewed leeks!" As thrilled as Tohru sounded, Kyo's groan was as frustrated.

"Aya, you're staying for dinner as well, aren't you?" Shigure asked his cousin as he drank his tea.

When there was no immediate response from the man, Nettie's gaze drifted to the man next to her. She blushed furiously to realize, at last, that he had been studying her. But, studying what? He knew that her outfits were bland and boring. Was there something in her hair? Or on her…oh, she thought with a chill of realization, he was staring at her foundation covered cheek. Why, why had she sat on the side visible to him? She sat up straighter despite her back protesting. Shit.

Finally he proclaimed with a dramatic flair, "Of course, how could I ever pass up a homemade meal by the great Tohru Honda?!"

Nettie exhaled softly in relief. He didn't comment about her. When Tohru sat and drank her own tea, Nettie copied her actions if only for the sake of looking normal. Soon her color went back to normal and, surprisingly, she felt calmer. The pain subsided again all over, leaving just a dull ache. "So Miss Rowe," Tohru started.

"Nettie." She corrected her at last.

"Nettie," Tohru blushed, "what kind of outfit did Ayame make you?"

Silence took over the group briefly. Nettie smiled, looking up at the silver haired man. Her heart skipped a beat when she did. "Do you want to tell or should I?"

"Don't you dare!" Kyo and Yuki shouted at Ayame.

Shigure snickered behind his fan. "I heard there was a corset involved." He sang.

Nettie nearly slammed her cup on the desk. Luckily she didn't choke on the tea. "You told him?!" She shrieked, looking at Ayame. Once again, she blushed and, once more, it betrayed her makeup.

For whatever reason, Ayame hadn't commented on it yet. He wouldn't start now. He flicked his hair behind his shoulder. "Well, I was telling Shigure about my creative process naturally! And at the time, I didn't know you worked together." Pause. Slight purr. "Not to mention, the design was inspired by his latest novel."

Nettie twitched along with the boys. "Which…novel?"

Shigure wore a shit-eating grin as he answered in a similar sing-song voice, "The latest installment of _Summer-Colored Sigh_."

Nettie's jaw dropped. She couldn't look at Ayame, she was too embarrassed. That meant…that really her outfit was…oh gods. When she finally managed to close her mouth while Tohru questioned what they meant, she smirked. "So I was right, the manuscript is complete." The next installment of that book was, after all, the one she was to pick up.

Shigure made a face at being outed. "Aw, my fun is spoiled again! Sigh!"

"I should start on dinner actually." Tohru made to stand.

"I can help you, Miss Honda." Yuki stood. "Really, it would be my pleasure."

Any other time, Nettie would have volunteered as well in order to ease the guilt she felt for intruding. Yet she didn't think she could handle standing up after her struggle to sit so soon. Kyo, seeing that he would soon be left with Ayame and Shigure, plus the redhead, made an excuse of training and all but ran out.

Nettie looked between the two cousins who seemed to be sharing a silent conversation with their eyes. She didn't mind, not when it gave her a chance to gather herself without being watched. The walk here, the shocking reveal, the sitting, the talk…all of it had worn her out so much. She wanted nothing more than to simply fall asleep. To simply lay down and succumb to her weariness…

"Nettie? This is the second time I've said your name three times." Ayame snapped his fingers before her face.

She jumped from the surprise and immediately regretted it, grimacing when her back, shoulders, and head throbbed from the jolt. "Y-yes?" She cleared her throat before drinking more tea.

Ayame's eyes were darker this time. Before he could speak, Shigure mused, "Excuse me, I hear my typewriter calling!" Before Nettie could call him on his bull, he was gone.

There she was, alone with Ayame. The realization made her heart beat harder. She was suddenly reminded of Masaki's accusation. Her and him, sleep together? Her gaze flickered to his chest, to his hands. Feeling her face warm once more, she quickly tried to distract herself. "So Yuki is your brother! I can see it now, you two look similar. Though, you…said that he…that there's a rift between you two?"

Ayame gave a small smirk. Well played, he may as well have said, to have the first word edgewise. "Yes, that's my little brother. He's warmed up to me since last visit…I fear I startled Tohru, which prompted his protest." He drank his tea before resting his elbow on the table, turning to face her. "Enough about me though, I had no idea Shigure's new no-nonsense editor was you!"

Nettie gave a weak laugh. "And I had no idea that you were…well, I should have. I guess I was so distracted by…" she gripped her cup tighter. She wasn't sure what to say next. Truth be told, the weariness of her sleep schedule, injuries, and endurance of her travel was making her head fuzzy.

Just as she made to look away, Ayame made a bold move. His hand reached out and cupped her good cheek, turning her gently to face his. The man's hand was soft, warm against her skin. She started to lean into his touch despite herself. To lean in, to have their lips meet...her heart skipped a beat. The realization of such a thought, however, made her blush furiously.

His gentle gaze shifted from her tired green eyes to her other cheek. Up close like this, the foundation was a bit more obvious, aside from the mismatched colors. Ayame raised his other hand slowly until his fingertips brushed away some of the foundation. It wasn't much, certainly she had caked it on enough to keep the bruise hidden, but he had residue when he looked at his hand.

Nettie realized a moment too late what he had done. She pulled away and found that she couldn't meet his gaze anymore. "Nettie," Ayame's voice was uncharacteristically serious, "what happened? No more putting it off. I want to know." There was a trace of something in his tone – desperation or maybe fear?

She stared at her empty cup, her mind sluggish, tired, and yet in a panic. To tell him the truth? To tell him what happened? She swallowed thickly. "I…he…" accused us of sleeping together, snarled at me, hit me, shoved me down some stairs, nearly ruined your creation. What to say first? It was all humiliating…and in the back of her mind, she was aware of where they were. They were in Shigure's house where others may overhear.

She shook her head, red curls flying to cover her face. "I can't." She couldn't tell him, not now, not yet. Overwhelmed with the desire to flee and momentarily oblivious to her injuries, Nettie tried to stand. Her wrist against the table, her back, and her ankle from the pressure of the quick movement all fought back. With a sharp cry, she pulled her hands back from the table. At the same time, she tried to get the weight off her injured ankle. The combined actions sent her flying backwards, about to hit the ground when Ayame dove to catch her.

 _Poof!_

Smoke filled the area, there for a moment and gone just as quick. Nettie groaned though her body didn't ache as much as she thought. When she opened her eyes, however, she realized that she was still on the floor. She blinked and shifted, feeling something under her. When she sat up on her side, she spotted Ayame's clothes, but no Ayame! Before she could open her mouth to yelp, she spotted a white snake before her.

She swallowed thickly. S-snake? How? Where did it come from? And where was Ayame?! Before she could ease back slowly, the snake's tongue darted out in something of a sigh. "Don't be scared, it's just me." The snake had Ayame's voice! It was talking!

Nettie's jaw dropped, a choked squeak leaving her. Feeling light headed, her green eyes rolled as she fell backwards. The last thing she heard was Ayame's call of her name.

* * *

Warmth and a dull ache. That was what Nettie felt when she started to wake bit by bit. There was something else, something that she couldn't name right away. When there were faint murmurs, male and female, in the seemingly far, far away background, she realized what it was.

Safety.

She felt safe.

Bit by bit, her green eyes opened. Everything was blurry though, clearing with each blink. Then she heard a near frantic female voice. "Oh, she's awake! Nettie, can you hear us? We were so worried!" And she looked it, Miss Tohru Honda did. Nettie stared up at the girl before seeing movement behind her.

"Nettie you're alright! You were out for so long, we thought the worse!" Ayame's naturally loud voice rang out, making her wince.

"And here I thought I could get away with not finishing my manuscript!" Shigure gave what sounded like a woeful sigh. Never mind that the man had finished his novel already.

"Shigure, Ayame, enough. If you two do not lower your voices, I'll ask you to leave." A new voice, serious and slightly chilling, filled the room. Despite the low volume, the authority rang sharp. When Nettie looked, she saw a man in a white coat, a calm expression, and slightly longer hair to one side. "How are you feeling, Miss Rowe?" He was kneeling next to her.

That was when Nettie realized just where she was. Still in the sitting room but now she lay on blankets with one covering her, a few pillows behind her head. A quick glance around revealed that Kyo and Yuki weren't there. Regardless, she felt a bit…well, surrounded. "Fine." It wasn't a lie, not until she tried to roll to her right side and attempted to push up with her uninjured left hand. Her shoulders and back made a loud reminder of her pain.

"O-oh, please, don't push yourself too hard!" Tohru called out, reaching out to help Nettie sit up. She had pressed against some bruises, which made the woman hiss, but in truth it was hard not to. The bruised flesh to normal flesh ratio was a bit off balanced. "You fainted. Hatori says it was because you overexerted yourself with your travels here."

"Ha…tori?" Nettie raised a brow as she looked at the new man. It felt less intimidating with the three men in the room now that she was sitting up. Her red curls gathered around her face. She made a move to brush them away when her fingers brushed over her cheek. She tensed and pulled away, looking with the expectation to see the foundation. Alas, there was…none. None on her hand, none on her cheek.

"Yes," the stranger said in the same tone, "judging by the marks you had under the makeup, as well as others, I assumed you pushed yourself past your limit." He paused. "Apologies, I am Dr. Hatori Sohma."

"Doctor?! Sohma? So, cousins?" Nettie looked between the three men. She wouldn't lag in her realization this time. A thought crossed her mind. The three of them were quite handsome individually, even more so when side by side like that. They must have great genes, she thought.

"Yes! Tori is the Sohma family doctor." Ayame's voice sounded as though he were praising the man.

"More of Akito's…" Shigure murmured.

The air and mood shifted instantly. Nettie caught it right away. Even Tohru looked away. "Akito?" Nettie repeated slowly. When she looked at Ayame, she blinked. A memory resurfaced at the mention of odd. "Oh!" She gave a weak laugh, hoping by proxy to break the somber mood. "Ayame, I had the oddest thought right before I…swooned." Somehow that was better than 'fainted' or 'passed out'. It didn't draw quite as much attention to her wounds. "I thought…well," she laughed, "I thought you were a talking snake!"

The three men shared a glance. A conversation seemed to be had, perhaps a decision had been made. Tohru opened her mouth. "Well, actually that wasn't…"

"Anything more than a hallucination, it would see." Hatori interrupted. "Just another reason to inquire the full extent of your injuries." And origins, it went without saying.

Again, the somber mood returned.

"Tohru," Shigure said, "Nettie must be so parched! At least, I know Ayame and I are from all the worrying we did, oh!"

"I'll make some tea!" With that not-so-subtle hint, though Tohru didn't seem to catch on, Tohru ran to the kitchen. It was all the same, after all.

The redhead looked between the trio. Ayame was no doubt curious, having read between the lines a few days ago. He didn't push her even now though. "Shigure," Nettie said as she carefully moved her feet, "I must have left my purse near my shoes. Would you mind collecting it since you sent Tohru away?"

Shigure's face almost became a comical sort of pout. With a stern look from his cousin doctor, he closed his fan and stood. Only when he was out of the room did Nettie speak. Her gaze kept to the floor, to her feet, anywhere away from Ayame. "I suspect a twisted or sprained left ankle, a twisted or sprained right wrist, a bump on my head, a bruise on my face, aching shoulders and back, and bruises all over. I haven't counted or seen the exact locations since they're not in plain sight." The man was a doctor, wasn't he? She focused on that, almost like a chant, to spit the words out. It saved her a trip anyway.

Hatori's tone matched his expression: professional, calm, not involved. Whatever they had silently discussed had taken the slight chill from him. Strange, she thought, wondering what they had decided after she mentioned thinking Ayame had been a snake. Clearly she had been delusional, yes, but still. "I see. How long ago?"

"Two days."

"Then I do not believe you have any internal damage if nothing has shown so far. The head injury shouldn't be a problem unless something drastic occurs. As for your wrist and ankle, I will have to take a closer look. Before I do, however, I have one more question."

Nettie wondered briefly if she'd be lucky enough to be swallowed up by a sudden hole in the earth. "How I'll be paying for your services?" She used a bit of sarcasm instead.

"No," Hatori didn't skip a beat, "how these injuries came to be?"

Nettie could feel Ayame's stare. It felt heavy, like lead. The words tasted like ash in her mouth as she spat them out. "My ex struck me before throwing me down the stairs." A sharp ache traveled through her heart. Her throat closed and burned. To finally speak the words out loud, to solidify what had happened, to acknowledge reality…she closed her eyes.

That sinkhole was taking its sweet time to gobble her up.

Hatori held his hand out. "Your wrist." He ordered.

She complied without pause. She wondered what was going through Ayame's head. What was he looking at? What did… "Ouch!" She hissed when Hatori applied a bit too much pressure.

"Hm," he mused before releasing her hand. He then scooted to the side a bit. "Your ankle." She complied again though this time hesitantly. Within a moment, a similar pain shot through her limb. "They're sprained." He confirmed. "You'll have to stay off of them both for another week or so." He paused. "Have you contacted the local authorities yet?"

Nettie looked up finally. She could see Ayame in the corner of her eye, but she couldn't tell his expression. "The…oh, the cops. N-no not yet." Before they could inquire, she added in a hurry, "I'm not sure how he'll retaliate if and when he is released. There's a matter of my passport, my visiting here, the house…protection…money." A sense of overwhelming exhaustion hit her then. She wanted to lay back down but resisted, swaying instead. "It's complicated."

"You can stay with me!" Ayame exclaimed. The panic and passion in his voice startled her but it also suggested that he had been biting his tongue throughout the entire confession. Perhaps he understood that had he spoken, she would have fallen silent. Or maybe Hatori just shot him a warning glare, it was hard to tell. "It is the least I can do to get you out of that toxic mess and into a safe, protected environment!"

"Ayame." Hatori warned without much effort. Whatever silent conversation they were having, Nettie didn't like it. When she looked up at the silver haired man, she recalled the memory – the hallucination – of the white snake.

Brushing it off, she shifted. "I couldn't be such a burden. It might put you at risk as well. I suspect Masaki will lose his job once he's arrested. He knows you…shit." She cursed. "He knows you made the outfit," she faltered with a blush at Hatori's raised brow, but pressed on, "so he could find you even if…I don't move in. Fuck. I'm so sorry Ayame, I think I just put you in danger."

The man gave a slight huff. "Do not worry about me, I'm more worried about you! So that's why you…" the text messages, this past Friday night. He understood now. "You must go to the police and move out at once!"

"But," Nettie swallowed thickly, her eyes stinging from the tears, "I have no money to do so. Not until next week. That's why…I was hoping to get Shigure's novel early, to add more to my check when it…no matter. I can't exactly pack and move in this state." She thought she should stand, to leave maybe…but she just wanted to rest.

"Then I'll help! And I'm sure Tohru and the boys wouldn't mind!" Ayame declared with a familiar dramatic flair. "You can stay with me!"

"Ayame," Hatori's cool voice reminded the pair that he existed, "I need to talk to you. Miss Rowe, rest."

Perfect timing for as the two men stood, Tohru walked in with tea. They spoke briefly but Nettie didn't hear anything. Static filled her eyes as she lay back, propped up on her elbows. When the two men stepped outside and Tohru sat beside her, offering her tea, she smiled. "Far too kind, thank you." She sipped the drink and sighed. No doubt Hatori was scolding Ayame for his suggestion. It would look bad on the Sohma family for an unmarried English woman to…

"Is there…anything else I can do?" Tohru's concerned voice ended her thoughts before they could multiply.

Tohru didn't know, she wouldn't either. Nettie smiled softly. "Just having you near is plenty, thank you." She put the cup aside and laid down. Whatever discussion the Sohma men were having…would wait. Before she knew it, Nettie's lids grew heavy. The last thing she heard was Tohru's soft words, almost musical in their worrisome chime.

* * *

Shouting. Shouting woke her. It took a moment to comprehend where it was coming from – no, it wasn't just the television – and who it was. It was real, but who would be shouting at her house? When her eyes opened, she realized it wasn't her house but Shigure's. The voice shouting was Kyo…and there were two voices muffled in response.

Nettie slowly forced herself up, looking around for some sign of the time. How long was she out? Why didn't they wake her? She was in the room most commonly gathered after all, wasn't she in the way? Were they outside?

"You're awake." A voice came from beside her. It was Shigure! He put his book down and offered a smile. "You were out for about an hour. "

"I…" Nettie sat up and grimaced, "Sorry about that. Where are the others?" Ayame? Did he leave?

Shigure's smile grew. "Is my company so foul that you cannot stand it?!" When she shot him a dull glare, he chuckled softly. "Tohru is making dinner and Hatori went back to the main house. He left a few things for you though. And by the sounds of it…Aya has bothered Kyo's delicate senses…Yuki's too, if I had to venture a guess."

Nettie felt weak with relief. Ayame was still there! Then she turned a soft pink at such thoughts, followed by a darker red since Shigure no doubt caught on. "Why are you here, watching me?"

"Hm? Oh I wasn't watching you, I was reading. Since my study is covered in papers, the only logical place to read would be the sitting room, wouldn't it? You just happen to be in here." Shigure said so carelessly that Nettie twitched.

"Point taken." She pushed the blanket off and carefully made to stand. He didn't offer any help which was fine, she wouldn't have taken it anyway. When she was standing, her clothes wrinkled and hair messy, she sighed. Well, she wasn't aching as bad as before. "I should go. Where's your manuscript?"

"Oh, it's somewhere." Shigure smirked. "In fact, I think it's hidden somewhere in tomorrow."

"What?"

"Well you said you won't leave without it, didn't you? And seeing as how you're in no shape to run a big house by yourself," not to mention safety from her ex, it went without saying, "you should stay here for tonight!"

"No, absolutely not, I've already imposed on the Sohma family far too much!" She frowned. "Give me the manuscript and I'll be on my way."

"Hmm, I would but sadly I am not a time traveler! If you want it then you'll have to get it tomorrow morning."

Nettie scowled. "Shigure, I'm not playing your games, give me the damn…"

"Ayame will be spending the night as well." Shigure added slyly. Nettie's face matched her hair as she stared at him.

She finally managed to turn her gaze away as she asked, "And where would I sleep? You don't even have another room for a guest, let alone two!"

"With Tohru of course. She won't mind, just ask her."

"Shigure, you really need to stop volunteering people for things." Nettie wondered where Ayame would sleep. Instantly she felt guilty for such a thought.

The door slid open suddenly to reveal Tohru. The scent of delicious food wafted in as well. "Oh, you're awake, great! Are you feeling better? Ah! Can you stand?! Do you need help?! Can I…" Tohru had nearly run over when she realized Nettie was standing on shaky legs.

The English woman held her hand up, covering Tohru's mouth. "Shh." She offered a gentle smile before letting her hand fall. "I'm feeling better. Famished, now that I've smelt whatever you're cooking, but fine."

"Tohru," Shigure adopted a whiny voice, "tell Nettie that it would be dangerous for her to go home! And we all would only stay up all night worrying about her!"

"O-oh, yes, you must stay! If something were to happen when you're alone…!"

"But Tohru…where would I sleep?" Nettie protested, shooting Shigure a dark glare.

"You can share my bed if you'd like! It's really big!"

"Yes," a familiar silver haired man appeared at the door, "you must stay the night and try Tohru's delicious breakfast!"

"That isn't nice, ganging on someone and using Tohru's cooking as…" Nettie's stomach growled, ruining her argument. She crossed her arms. "Alright, fine. Only because it's starting to get dark and I dislike driving in the dark." The woman turned away.

Tohru went off to tell the boys that dinner was ready. Nettie made to sit down when she hesitated. Before she could wonder how to sit carefully, Ayame's hand took her arm. Her gaze met his, silent. Use him as a pillar, a way of support, was the statement. She mumbled an appreciative noise and with his help managed to sit without jostling her ankle or back. He sat next to her.

The positions they were in reminded her of just a few hours ago. She blinked before chuckling. "What is it?" Ayame raised a brow as Shigure joined them.

Nettie smiled. "I just…I was thinking about...the hallucination earlier. Aya, as a snake…a cute snake at that, it fit. It's just so funny." She laughed quietly from the memory. She had been so pre-occupied that she missed the pair exchanging looks.

"Haha, indeed." Ayame agreed in an odd tone.

Before Nettie could question it, Tohru and Yuki entered with the food. Kyo carried the plates. Dinner was delicious and lively, mostly from Kyo shouting and Shigure and Ayame's antics. While the boys looked disturbed and irritated, Nettie only laughed. In fact, their antics only cheered her up. She had to keep from laughing at one point as her sides, bruised and otherwise, were starting to ache.

Nettie thanked Tohru profusely after that. When Tohru asked if she wanted to take a bath, Nettie hesitated. She had 'showered' yesterday and it was hell. To try and manage such a task tonight, here? No, she politely declined. There was the issue of what to wear, but they decided, given that Nettie was a bit bigger than Tohru, she would wear one of Shigure's shirts.

Nettie threatened to destroy his study if he dare breathed a word to this to anyone.

Ayame jested that they would all match, the trio, since he was also borrowing one of Shigure's shirts for slumber. Nettie chuckled, glad for the sentiment. When they all went to bed, it was just past ten at night. It felt strange, Nettie thought, to share a bed with Tohru, to wear Shigure's shirt, to be in their house and…she wondered where Masaki was.

By the time the moon moved a good amount, perhaps marking two hours, Nettie sighed. There was no way she was sleeping, not after that 'nap' earlier. She carefully got out of bed and went to the kitchen. They wouldn't mind if she made a small snack, a cup of tea. She would clean it all up afterwards anyway. Plus…it felt nice to be doing something.

With the plum and tea in hand, she walked outside and sat on the porch with a few grimaces. She was bathed in the moon's full light, the chill of the night. Nettie smiled for a reason she couldn't quite figure out. It felt…nice. New. Free. It was different.

"You couldn't sleep right, hm?" Ayame's voice made her jump, nearly dropping the cup with a half-choked cry.

"Gods," she gasped as she looked up, wincing from how her muscles protested, "you frightened me. Hi."

Ayame, wrapped in his normal clothes and a blanket, sat next to her. "Apologies, I know your injuries don't permit such excitement." Although he wore a gentle smile, his eyes did not sparkle as before. She knew what was coming. She knew, but she wasn't prepared.

"Why didn't I tell you?" She beat him to the punch. If she was going to be uncomfortable, she may as be the reason for it rather than him. "Two days ago?" She couldn't look at him. Not now at least. Her gaze traveled up to the stars and moon. "I…I didn't want to…admit it. Make it real. As if," she scoffed at herself, "speaking made the injuries real and not the force itself. Well…I was going to tell you eventually. I just…"

Her hand reached up to her bruised cheek. Instantly she flared a vivid red. She had completely forgotten that she had been going about the rest of the evening without her makeup! Her mark had been visible and, and…

The palm of Ayame's hand rest on her other cheek, turning her face towards him. If he caught onto her thoughts, he didn't let it away just yet. It looked like he wanted to say something uncharacteristic. He also had a gleam of question in his gaze. After what felt like an hour in this position, Ayame whispered, "It hurts me to see you like this." Nettie's lips parted, mouth dry, at his words. Then he slowly let his hand fall to his side though he kept his body close, hovering over her almost as their gazes remained locked. "What provoked him? Has he always been like this, the past four years?"

Nettie blinked. She missed the warmth of his hand, no doubt from the way he was wrapped up in the chilly night. "No, no he's never been violent before." Her voice was firm to keep any doubts from leaking in. "This…he…gods." She looked away, feeling her blush creep down her neck. "He thought I was cheating on him. With you. Because of the outfit and the texts, and I snapped at him because of all the stupid assumptions, that was his greatest one! If anything," she started to ramble, humiliated by her confession, "he was the one cheating on me! This entire thing started because he started going to some strip club or another every night until it closed for the past month! No exaggeration! And then he has the nerve to say that _I'm_ the untrusted one? That…"

"How could he venture forth to such a dull place when he had a lovely partner to have fun with at home?! That man must have had something loose to leave you for more than a few hours, more than absolutely necessary! And to strike a woman over foolish suspicions, he is the utmost vile of creatures! He had…Nettie? Nettie, why are you crying? Was it something I said? Are you in pain?" Ayame's passionate speech trailed off into concern right away.

Her head was bowed, red curls curtaining her bruised face as she sobbed. She hugged herself, hiccupping once or twice. She shook her head. "N-no, I…it's just…I haven't…" When no sentence was put together properly, Ayame's hand rest on her back gently. There was a bit of distance between them physically, but she hardly noticed. The man's comforting touch was plenty enough. There was no hushing, no noise from Ayame. He simply let her get it all out.

When at last it seemed that the last tear had fallen onto her lap, Nettie calmed. She sniffed and blew her nose in the napkin she had brought along with the plum. A hiccup later, she sat up straight. His hand didn't move, a steady source of warmth in the middle of her back. Her gaze traveled up to his, swollen from the crying.

"It's been far too long since I've had a real friend. Heard caring, kind words. Outrage on my behalf. Reassurance that there's…nothing wrong with me." Her shoulders were loose, her eyelids heavy. "Thank you."

Ayame's smile was gentle, his eyes suspiciously bright. His hand moved from her back, down her arm, and took her hand in his. He leaned forward ever so slightly and placed his free hand over hers. "Then worry not, for you'll be hearing similar things in the future quite frequently! Hahaha!"

Nettie smiled and placed her free hand over his, squeezing softly.


	4. Chapter 4

"So it's settled!" Ayame clapped his hands together, as if everyone's attention wasn't already on him to begin with. "Nettie, you'll be staying with me for the week! And, of course, Kyo and Yuki will help pack your stuff."

"Why do you volunteer me?!" Kyo punched the table.

Nettie nearly spat out her drink. "I never agreed to staying with you!" She twitched slightly. "Don't you dare try to use Tohru in this either."

Even in Yuki's sleepy state, he glared. "You didn't even ask Miss Rowe before you started making such commands?"

Tohru looked at the boys, then at the two adults, then at Shigure. The writer, to his credit, wisely stayed silent. "Oh, come now," Ayame rest his elbow on the table and leaned forward to Nettie, "my own home is so big and empty! I need company to keep it lively, at least until you can find stability once more."

"W-what's happened to her old home?" Tohru asked. By the way Yuki and Kyo perked up at this question, it was clear that they didn't know either. Nettie sighed in relief from that. Still, they surely had theories since her bruised face was…well, bruised.

"Nothing yet. It's just time to cut old ties and start anew. Unfortunately," Nettie forced herself to look away from Ayame's close face and stab at her fish, "starting new requires money." Although she wore no makeup, she did try to hide as much of the mark as she could by resting her hair over it. It didn't work out as well as she hoped.

"Which is why it is a financially wise decision to become my roommate!" Ayame pointed out.

"Financially wise?" Kyo murmured as though he couldn't believe Ayame suggested such a serious thing.

Nettie swallowed her food before stabbing at the rice. She kept her gaze on the plates, the table, anything low. "I've already put so much strain on the Sohma family, I'm not comfortable adding to that."

There was a pause, a brief silence amongst the table. Ayame waved his hand, breaking it. "Well then, you can work as my maid in order to earn your keep! Just like Shigure has Tohru doing!"

Kyo and Yuki instantly protested loudly at the statement. Tohru blushed as Shigure purred, "And what a lovely maid she's been – though as of late, I've wondered if she should become my housewi-…"

"Don't even finish that sentence." Kyo and Yuki growled in unison. If looks could kill in the most gruesome of fashion…

"Alright." Nettie's steady voice brought their attention to her. "I'll be your maid in exchange for rent."

"B-but, your injuries from the fall!" Tohru's eyes widened, as if this really needed to be reminded. Ah, Nettie thought as she glanced over, then they must have thought it was an accident. Good.

"Ah," Nettie sighed in a comically sad manner, "I suppose I'll never heal completely, but it will be worth it so I can earn my keep with dear Ayame."

"Well," Shigure said as he took a bite of his food, "I could think of other ways you could earn your keep…"

Silence.

Nettie's face warmed almost as much as the younger boys had. Tohru only blinked, curious as to what Shigure meant. Ayame, though Nettie reluctantly glanced briefly, looked to be smirking. "Don't smile!" She snapped in embarrassment, "I can't believe I hadn't realized it before all of this, you act nearly as bad as Shigure!"

"Ah, I suppose Gure and I do have…similar dreams~" Ayame gestured and leaned towards the writer in a romantic pose. Shigure, naturally, copied with a similar sigh of longing.

Nettie chuckled into her cup as she drank her tea. "Knock it off!" Kyo snapped.

Nevertheless, she thought, he had a point. She needed to go to the cops – today after work, if she could – and then move out until she found a new place. This couldn't be done until she got paid. If Masaki stayed in jail until then, it all worked out. If he didn't, however, well…she wouldn't feel safe. She wasn't sure how he would react to this – the furthest their arguments ever got until recently were throwing pillows at the wall. And there was a chance, though however slim, that he might come after Ayame. How was she to…

An idea came to mind.

"Alright Ayame." She said once again. This time her voice was stern. "I'll play roommate for a while so long as I can assist at the shop in my free time." If Masaki were to try something during business hours, she might be able to stop it. She wouldn't be able to be there all the time, but during lunch hours and on days she finished work early…it was something.

Ayame looked thrilled, his eyes wide and his smile even wider. "Oh, that is indeed a wonderful idea! You'll be my model! My live model, I shall have you try on all the outfits for our customers! And I can use you as a way to alter some of our client's outfits – you're about the same measurement for height and chest for several."

Shigure made to make some comment – no doubt about seeing her model – when she threw a piece of fish at his face. What did she just get herself into? Well, if it kept his safer… "I can't wait." Nettie grinned. It wasn't as forced as she thought either, not when Ayame was absolutely glowing at the prospect.

"Then it's settled! Kyo, Yuki, clear your calendars tonight, we're going to pack Nettie's things!"

As the trio 'discussed' this arrangement, Nettie shook her head. She finished her meal and stood. The others did the same. They all had either work or school. "I can drop you three off, if you'd like. You as well, Ayame." She walked carefully to the door.

"Can you even make it to your car?" Kyo raised a brow as she put her shoes on.

"We'll see. Worse case, you can carry me." She joked, laughing at his protest.

* * *

As the trio walked away from the car and towards their classes, Ayame waved and called out his devotion to his younger brother. Nettie snickered, almost able to see Yuki's face in her mind. When they were out of sight, he rolled the window up and Nettie started to his shop next.

"You realize," Nettie spoke after a moment, "the only reason I'm accepting Yuki's help after you volunteered him…is because that will be more time for you to spend with him. You'll be there packing boxes as well, you know." She smiled at him.

Ayame blinked before smiling wide. "Such a clever woman…" he jested. "I think such labor will bring us closer, our sweat will build our bonds!"

Nettie snickered. "You, sweat? That should be…" she blushed softly, her mind going off to another direction of what might make him sweat, "…ahem. Here we are." She pulled the car over.

Ayame touched the door handle but didn't open it yet. He seemed tempted to say something, to ask something that would leave a damper in the mood. Instead, he smiled. "Pick me up after you're done with work and any errands you have," the cops, it went unsaid, "and we'll go pack a suitcase for you before coming to my house!"

Nettie smiled back. She would be going to make a report at lunch then. "Alright, I'll text you then." When he opened the door, she added, "Ayame?" He paused. "Be…be safe, alright?"

He looked as if this was something new. "Of course I'll be safe! If I wasn't, how would I ever be able to bond with Yuki over the boxed labor that is moving?"

* * *

Lunch was a bit longer than normal. It wasn't because she was at a restaurant like her coworkers, but because she had gone to the cops. She managed to duck and avoid her coworkers despite her poor makeup hiding her marks. The report took just long enough, as well as giving them Dr. Sohma – Hatori's – number to use as a witness and document the injuries. Because of this, she managed to sneak in without anyone noticing.

By four o'clock, however, she was starving. She drove over to Ayame's and texted him to hurry. When he inquired why, she mentioned that she hadn't had lunch. Just over a minute later, the lights in his shop went off, he stepped outside, locked it, and flew to the car.

"We must find nutrients for the goddess of fire before she dwindles and goes out! Quickly!" He declared with the usual flare.

Nettie chuckled, her mood better already. It wasn't until he had gotten her to smile that she realized she was drained and sullen from earlier. She was about to ask him how his day went when he called someone. When she heard him ordering food, she raised a brow.

"Take a left at the next street and you'll see a cute little café. I've gotten them to put together two plates for us to go. A perk of knowing the owner!" He explained after ending the call.

Nettie nearly snapped around to look at him. "What?! No, really, I have food at the house! And I don't…have any…"

"My treat." He announced with the wave of his hand. "And before you can protest or feel bad, don't think you're off the hook yet. You'll be making dessert for us afterwards in exchange. Anyway, packing requires quite a bit of energy…directing as well, since that's what you'll be doing."

She blinked. Well…that seemed fair enough. And, really, her stomach growled on cue to point out that she couldn't wait until they got home and the time required to make a meal. "Alright fine," she smiled, "I'll make the best dessert you've ever had. An English one, at that."

"Ooh, I expect great things then, Miss Red." He teased. She blushed at that, wondering if it was the blood in her face from before or her hair that brought on the name. She took a left and parked the car as a small café. Before she could get out, he spoke again. "If you're going to wear makeup, you shouldn't cake it on like that. It hides your blush completely, no blood can be even hinted from it." Pause. "That's what made me suspicious at first yesterday…I saw half your face one color and the other matching your curls."

There was silence. It was thick and heavy, laced with guilt from both parties, with a bit of shame from one more so than the other. Nettie swallowed thickly before offering a weak smile. "As you can tell, my talent with makeup only goes so far since it's so rare," she offered a fragile laugh, "just another thing to learn about aside from my wardrobe." It was meant to be joke, something to break the tension; however, it came out as sad. She flushed brightly at her shame. "I'm sorry, I meant…I didn't mean to…I just…it's been a long, draining day." She gripped the steering wheel tight.

Feminine. She wasn't feminine enough. Was that why Masaki got tired of her? Whatever did Ayame see in her then, as a friend? Surely he wouldn't want or see her past that line. Even as a friend though, how could he in all his color-coordinated and vivid passion deal with her? She didn't wear makeup, she wore gray suits, she…

His hand covered hers. She started and looked up at him, aware of the cold sweat that her line of thinking brought on. Just as well, her heart had sped up. "I hope," he spoke quietly, "that you will never need to use my advice again." He squeezed her hand, his voice stronger. "In fact, I know you won't." Then he smiled. "Anyway, that's just more reason to go shopping! Once you're settled of course. Now, wait here and I'll be back in just a moment!" He adjusted his coat before going to get their dinner.

It was only when they arrived at her house that Nettie became anxious. Never mind the idea of Masaki being there, she was certainly he was in a jail cell by now, but what would Ayame think of the house? Did she leave it clean, or at least as clean as she could in her state? Was there anything embarrassing? Did it, too, lack décor and fashion?

The scent of food quickly stopped her worries though. When they entered, Nettie did a quick glance around. No, everything seemed alright. She sighed in relief. "I'll get the plates and drinks." She announced, "Make yourself at home."

While she was gone, she found herself smiling. When was the last time she had been so happy over something so…so simple? Take out with a…friend. She chuckled to herself before pouring them some iced tea, carrying two plates in her arms.

When she entered the living room, she jumped to see Ayame there. "Nettie," he spoke slowly, "I can understand why there are blankets on the couch…but why is this here?" He held up the large knife she had been nearly sleeping with.

Her face went pink as she stuttered. "U-uh, well, I was…that is, we, when…oh god damn it." She wasn't' sure whether to laugh or hide her face. "It was for protection! Just in case…you know." When understanding crossed over his face, she held the plates out. "Here. Table is in the next room."

"So," he smiled as they started on their dinner, "how much will Kyo be packing tomorrow?" He looked around as though assessing it all.

"Just Kyo?" She grinned as she ate. A noise of pleasure left her before she cleared her throat, hoping to hide it. "Not much. Books, clothes, some mementos. I'll pack anything private or fragile." She took another bite. "All the furniture is Masaki's since I couldn't easily bring it over from England."

"Fantastic, that means we'll have to go shopping for furniture!"

She smiled at his enthusiasm. It was contagious. His smile was contagious, too.

That night spent at Ayame's was full of treats from England, green tea, music, and lots of laughter. She couldn't recall a time she had had so much fun. Honestly, she didn't know how she'd ever go back to texting after this when it paled in comparison by so much.

She insisted on taking the couch for that night and the others to follow until she got her new home. She slept like a brick for the first time in days. It felt nice and warm in that house, no doubt because it was cold outside. When she woke, it was only because Ayame was calling her name while he held tea before her. Her alarm, as he said, had gone off but she was out like a light.

That day, the boys and Tohru came over to help her pack her things. She repaid them by providing some treats and snacks. They moved her few boxes over to Ayame's house and another night of fun occurred. Gossip, talking, laughter…Nettie wondered not for the first time how she had been so lucky to find Ayame.

* * *

The first day Nettie went to the shop early, she was surprised to be greeted by…a woman. "Oh, hello," Nettie raised a brow. Her bruises and aches had gone away mostly by then, allowing her to roam in public without much makeup other than a light dusting. "I'm looking for…Ayame?"

"Mhm, he's in the back! I'm Mine, can I help you with something?"

Nettie looked at this woman from head to toe. She wore a maid's uniform, an outfit no doubt from the store they were in. Instantly Nettie felt…insecure. She shifted to her other foot before wincing and reversing it. Her ankle was still sore. "I…was going to…volunteer and…"

Before this could go any more awkward or worse, a familiar voice called out, "Mine, I think I might need to re-do this strip here and…Nettie?! My feiry goddess of strength, good afternoon!" Out from the back was Ayame indeed, but he wore a wedding dress.

Nettie couldn't help a clip of laughter leaving her. It lasted just a second before she covered her mouth. "Ayame, I didn't expect to see you in…are you modeling?"

"Ah, just doing some alterations! Oh, that's right! Mine, this is Nettie, a friend. Nettie, this is my employee, Mine! She does a fabulous job around shop!" The woman seemed to beam with pleasure at the compliment.

"Pleasure." Nettie nodded to her. "I got off work early and thought I might help around the shop?"

"Of course, of course! Your commanding presence is always welcomed here! Mine, show her around will you? I must hurry with this alteration before the client is in to pick it up tomorrow." Ayame all but danced away, drawing another smile from the English woman.

That was how most of the late afternoon went with Mine showing, talking, and detailing the shop to Nettie. For her part, she listened and tried to memorize it all. Still, there was a part of her that was…jealous of Mine. Insecure. Concerned. Scared. Was Mine…something more to Ayame? She couldn't name it, but she just felt like…like there was a closeness between the pair.

Just shy of five, they closed up shop. Ayame waved Mine an enthusiastic farewell and Mine did the same. Nettie merely waved once before walking towards her car. Soon they would simply walk to work – Ayame's home wasn't too far from either of their workplaces – but she didn't want to test her ankle too much.

When they got into the car, Ayame started to chat away how his day went. Nettie listened politely, nodding and smiling at certain parts. She made sure the heater was on when he got in, wanting to ward away any chill from the weather.

She made them both dinner, a way to repay his kindness she said. As they ate, she mostly played with her food. When Ayame noticed, he raised a brow. "Are you feeling sick?" He gasped and dropped his chopsticks. "Nettie, do you have a fever?! Should I call Hatori?! Do we need to…"

"No, no, it's alright!" She held her hand up to silence him. "Really, I'm fine. I just…" she wasn't sure how to speak her thoughts. They weren't really even thoughts, more like emotions. "Ayame, may I ask something that is none of my business?"

He blinked. He looked slightly amused at her wording, but nodded nonetheless. His curiosity won out. "Go ahead! Just another way to make my day interesting!"

She set her chopsticks aside. "Are you…I mean…Mine and you…are you two…?"

Ayame seemed thoughtful for a moment, perhaps recalling something. Then he smiled and waved away her insecurities with his hand so carelessly. "Friends and employees, best of! She's got quite the creative mind that just meshes with my own so seamlessly! But, only friends."

Nettie blinked twice before smiling slowly. Friends…right. They were friends to, she and he…but that was good. That…that meant…

She laughed at the confusion of her own thoughts, her logic.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: So, a few things. One, I finished re-reading the series. Omg, feels and tears. So many. Two, I cannot write Ayame. Three, I'm not a hundred percent sure I could write the other characters decently as well. Four, to finish this story in context with the manga is...really difficult. Five, I'm discontinuing this story as of now.

I've posted the bits and pieces of the story I HAD written before I came to the realization that I have no muse, because why not? Snippets, really. Anyway, enjoy. No more after this.

* * *

A week passed. Masaki wasn't heard from. She got updates from the officers though, all saying he remained in jail – he hadn't the money to get out until court. Still, Nettie visited the shop when she could and volunteered.

She also got paid. Yet, as Ayame had pronounced loudly, the fates seemed to be keeping them together as there were no spots to rent around the area. Nettie quickly tossed aside her feeling of being a burden when she heard him say that – 'keep them together', such a positive phrase. Still, she offered to pay some of the utilities and groceries. When he denied, she glared at him and said in a voice she usually reserved for Shigure that she would spend her money one way or another and he should take it before she did something drastic.

Despite the lack of apartments to rent, though she would keep her eye out, it did call forth the opportunity to shop. This made Ayame all but fly around in excitement. He had offered to make her a few outfits which, after much discussion, she agreed to two daily outfits – something that he wouldn't mind wearing if he had to. It was a good way to settle, she thought, and intended to pay him in full even if he wouldn't agree right away.

Plus, Nettie thought with a giggle, it would be fun to wear a bit of Ayame's flare around town.

Their travel to several shops ended well. Nettie ended up with three bags on either arm and Ayame carried two bags that contained shoes. All in all, it was a good haul. It did, however, bring up the issue of…well, space when they got to Ayame's. He laughed it off and said she could use some of the space of his walk-in closet.

Somehow this didn't phase her.

For the next week, their lives became fairly routine. In fact, everything seemed stable and happy. All her injuries had healed up and it was like a bad dream. But if that had felt like a bad dream before, a phone call one evening woke her from the pleasant dream she had been living with Ayame.

It was snowing outside ever so softly. They had the heater on and both were curled up at the table. Each had a book in their hands and tea to the side. It was peaceful, she thought as she turned a page, and it felt magnificent. It was grand to see many sides of Ayame, the fun and the…

Her phone rang.

She blinked and set her book down before going to get it. Her questioning voice was cut short in the other room. This caught Ayame's notice. Then she slammed her cell phone onto the table. "Nettie?" Ayame called out. His answer was a bunch of rustling, as though she were putting on a jacket and her shoes. He stood and walked over.

Before he could call out to her again, she opened the door and walked out. He frowned and picked up her phone, a bad feeling brewing in the pit of his stomach. When he checked the last call, he felt chilled. It was Masaki.

He threw his shoes on and grabbed a jacket, any jacket. He ran after her, relieved to see her car there. He followed the footsteps in the snow. "Nettie, please come back! What did he say?"

She shook her head and kept walking. He caught up beside her. He asked again as they turned a corner, but nothing. It was getting dark, no one was outside. It was then that Ayame realized he hadn't properly clothed himself in his worry. This was bad…

"Nettie…"

 _Poof!_

The redhead froze in mid-step. That…noise. She knew that noise. When she had fainted in Shigure's house. It was…

She turned slowly and gaped. There sat a pile of Ayame's clothes…and a snake that nearly blended into the snow. A slight noise of surprise was caught in her throat. Slowly she crouched to the shivering snake. "A-Aya?" She whispered.

"Yes, that is me."

She jumped back and landed on her butt in shock. "So I didn't hallucinate it! How?! You…how?! You're a snake!"

"I am, and it's a bit of a long story. Perhaps we can go back inside and talk?" Pause. "I'm dreadfully sorry, but if I don't get warm soon I may perish."

"What?!" She sat up on her knees. "W-well, shit! Um, okay, we're not too far, we're...here, can you fit in my sleeve? No that's not too warm. Um…"

Ayame took the permission and suggestion all the less. He entered her sleeve and wrapped himself around her waist. Nettie wasn't sure how ridiculous she looked, twitching and almost dancing as he found her warmth. Focusing on the part that he was alive, she took his clothes and made her way back to the house, Masaki be damned.

When they got inside, she placed his clothes near the heater and let him onto the couch. Just as she turned around, she heard another poof and glanced back. He was naked! "Oh!" She turned back around, a blush warming her face.

She could hear him chuckling as he started to get dressed. "Well…I wanted to tell you before, but Hatori said it wasn't a good idea since you thought it all a dream anyway."

Cautiously, she peaked over her shoulder to him. "Hm?"

* * *

(Weeks later)

Ayame let loose a heavy sigh as he observed Nettie. He placed his elbow on the table. "I didn't want you to be involved with Akito. I never wanted you to meet him. But alas, you know Hatori and Shigure and the others…I couldn't hide you away like I did with Mine." It went without saying that that was to be secret.

Nettie blinked and tilted her head. "Hide me?" She echoed in a whisper. "But why would you…?" A chill went through her spine. It startled her. Hiding only meant one thing, to protect. So then… "Will you still try to protect me…keep me safe…from whatever you're scared of?" He had to fear something to keep Mine hidden away, to have wanted to hide her away.

He sat up from his tilted position. Such a question…he offered a small smile. "I will." He promised in barely a murmur.

It was hard not to tremble as she knelt there, waiting. It wasn't from anticipation or excitement or even fear. It was from fury, loathe, rage. She didn't want to show it, not now. The trio sat behind her, Ayame closest. If they saw…if they suspected…what would they say? What would they do? _Those_ questions scared her which is why she focused on not trembling.

The previous night, Tohru had told her a…great deal. Granted, Nettie had practically grilled her but now she had her answers and knowledge. She understood why the members of the Zodiac, even Tohru, tensed and looked away with dark eyes at the head of the family's name. And in truth, it disgusted her.

The door slid open. Akito. So this was Akito, this tall, sickly, and pale thing with dark hair. Eyes that seemed empty at first glance but were really calculating. A mind…a sick mind, she thought, and a warped version of a smile. He must have much practice in hiding cruelty in his smiles, she thought.

When she blinked, she realized that he was studying her just as she was him.

"Hello. So this is the Englishwoman everyone talked about." Akito's voice was almost hushed. Haunting. It was only then that she became aware of how tense the men were behind her.

"And you're the head of the Sohma family I've been told…so much…about." It slipped, the loathing that laced into two words. Just two. It came out like a hiss though, as if she were the snake. She offered a smile to combat it, though she wasn't quite sure if it made it worse or better. "Pleasure."

Yet Akito just smiled as if it were all a game. Well, it was, wasn't it? Who would snap first? Nettie gripped her knees tighter at the thought. "Pleasure to meet you as well." He glided over, stopping just a couple feet away.

…

"Take it back!" Akito growled and in the same breath grabbed Nettie's curls. He pulled, she started to sit up to prevent the pain, and for a second she thought she heard Ayame's cry of horror behind her. The men had started to get up but Nettie acted quicker.

She swung her fist upwards and into Akito's stomach. With a breathless groan, Akito released her. She stood and made to punch him again when she felt a hand wrap around her wrist. It was a familiar one, she knew it by touch alone. When she glanced back to see her silver locked man, she caught Hatori and Shigure running to Akito. They were voicing his name, Hatori concerned about his injury.

Nettie let her hand rest and stepped back slightly. Ayame's grip slackened but he didn't let go as her hand fell to her side. Now she was trembling.

"Ha-Hatori," Akito spoke after gaining the ability to breathe back, "erase her memories!" He managed to gasp out, pointing to Nettie. "Do it! Do it now!"

Hatori tensed and looked at Nettie. The sudden attention from all the men made Nettie stiffen. She swallowed thickly. What would he do? When he took a step towards her, Nettie's heart sunk. So, that was how it was. She knew she shouldn't be surprised especially after all the tales she heard. Ayame, however, didn't hold her down or back. She was relieved.

That moment lasted only a moment though as reality hit her. She was about to lose her memories! "I'll show you who you're messing with! You dare to strike me?! You'll pay for that!" Akito's shouts turned her blood cold. They also made her decision quite easy.

She turned to Ayame and hugged him tight. _Poof_! In a swift, steady motion, far more than she felt, she picked up the white snake and turned. She held him just at his head, her gaze cold as she looked at the three men. "Touch me and I'll touch you back. You'll turn before you can restrain or alter my mind." She hesitated, the words being spat out, "I'm going to leave now. I'm taking Ayame with me as insurance that you don't call your fucking henchmen around here. Understood?" Her head was racing so fast that she felt she might collapse. No, she couldn't faint, not now. She'd wake up with something lost…

"Nettie…" Shigure said softly, interrupting her thoughts.

Her expression changed suddenly to fury. "Don't you dare use my name again, Shigure!" She snarled. Despite her emotions, she did not tighten her hold on Ayame; to his credit, he said nothing. "You disgust me! All of you! You're adults! You are supposed to protect the others, the younger ones! And what do you do?!" She gritted her teeth for snarling was the only way to get the words out. "You let that…freak harm them!" She clenched her free fist, shaking now. "You stood by and let that fucking monster harm the others! Hit them, abuse them, isolate them…god only knows what else! And you, Hatori!" Her breathing was heavy as though she had just ran. "Your eye! You! And you just let it all continue! How could you?! You are all vile, spineless creatures! And you use that revolting excuse of 'zodiac' nonsense as your shield! An outsider wouldn't understand…ha! Sounds like a cult!"

Her grip on Ayame slackened from the word, the shock of the realization. A cult, it sounded almost exactly like a cult. And while she wouldn't realize it until later, Ayame hadn't fallen form her slack grip and ran away. No, he wrapped his body around her arm until she held him once more. If the others noticed, they gave nothing away. "A cult…that's what you are with your pitiful excuse for a 'god'! Well guess what…gods don't die, yet here you wither away like the rotten weed you are!"

Akito growled and looked ready to shout when Nettie interrupted, "Who do you think you are!? What gives you the right to hurt those around you, just because you're 'dying'?! We're all dying, you snotty bastard! From the moment we're born, we're all dying…and yet we don't hurt others. We don't beat children or degrade them! You…you fucking monster…and your followers! You're hardly any better!" It was only when Nettie inhaled did she realized there formed a lump in her throat. No, she couldn't cry, not here.

"If this is the Zodiac circle then I want nothing to do with it more than I've already been through. A glimpse into this chaos is plenty for me." She shivered. "I never want to see any of you again. I will not tell your secret," well for the moment, "but do not ever contact me again. If you do…"

No one spoke. She didn't give them time to. Nettie backed out of the room slowly, sliding the door open and closed. Then she darted down the hallway and grabbed her shoes. She didn't want to waste the previous seconds it would take to put them on.

When she exited the house, she started to retrace her steps. Or at least she tried. The property was so huge that she got lost within three turns. Just as she started to panic, a familiar though somber voice came from the creature in her hand. "Take a right at the second house, then a left at the third. Then you'll be able to exit." Pause. "Though you may want to put your shoes on, there's snow on the ground if you've forgotten."

"Not until I'm outside those gates!" She gasped out as she ran, following his directions. True to her word, her attention remained on the path until she was on the outside. Only then did she tossed her shoes down and slide her numb feet in them. IT was also when she realized that she was holding a shivering snake…in the cold…a shivering snake who was sensitive to the cold. "Fuck!" She cursed, "Aya, I'm so sorry, I nearly forgot! Here, um, um, uh…" she looked around. She didn't even grab his clothes. "Hide in…" she stopped. "Or should I let you go? Back to the Sohma Estate…to Akito?" She looked down at the snake wrapped around her arm.

He looked back. There was a beat of silence, perhaps of decisions being made, when he spoke, "Your body heat will suffice."

Nettie felt her legs threaten to give out. Had she really been so anxious about him asking her to let him go that she had tensed, held her breath? The flood of relief that poured through her at his answer told her that yes, she had been scared. "Right, body heat…but you can't transform yet…screw it, wrap around my waist." He had already measured her form and seen her in a bra anyway, as well as many other forms of vulnerability that had nothing to do with flesh, bruised or pale.

She started to walk while hugging herself – or at least it appeared that way. Really, she had her hands over Ayame as he wrapped around her. It wasn't to keep hostage, but just to feel, to ensure he was really there. She was trembling from more than the cold. "I'll drop you off at your house before I go to mine and deadbolt the doors."

"You don't have to," Ayame said beneath her clothes, "I suspect you don't want to be alone right now."

She swallowed. "Y-yes. My house it is then."

She had no clothes that would fit Ayame, so a robe would have to suffice when he transformed. When they got inside and she had locked the doors, that was her first thought. She felt and saw him leave her. She made to the kitchen to make tea.

Poof!

She made a beeline to her closet and returned with a robe while looking away. "Akito's temper, his behavior…we handle it, the members of the zodiac, in our own way." The man started to talk. "We cannot go to the police. His behavior is not so…" he trailed off.

"Oh really?! So then I your logic, I shouldn't have reported Masaki to the police! I mean, all he did was throw me down a staircase and slap me, that's child's play to Akito's impressive record! And if that monster is allowed to be free and worshipped, then perhaps I should go kiss and make up with Mas-"

"It isn't as easy as that." Ayame's calm voice shut her up. She stared at him. He stared back. "It isn't as simple as that. Akito…is our god. There is a bond, whether or not you wish to call it a 'cult' is up to you…but it is a blood bond that...holds us. We are bound to obey. No matter how much we would want to, we cannot…actively disobey. We can't stand up to Akito." He wore a bitter smile that simply looked out of place on his normally cheerful face. "That is why it is a curse, Nettie."

"And it's a bunch of bullshit! You don't live in this cult, this circle! It's not a real world! This is the real world, reality, where there are laws and rules and…and…fuck. You…I don't…I…" Nettie looked down to hide her tears. "I don't understand!" She wailed as her emotions let loose. The tension, the anger, the sorrow, the disappointment…all of it. She held herself. She cried for Ayame, for Hatori, for Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru…she even cried for Shigure. But mostly, this very second, she cried for herself and how she could never be held by the snake before her.

* * *

(Week later)

"Because I'm not strong like you are, Tohru!" Nettie shouted, spinning around sharply. She towered over the girl but to her credit, Tohru did not shrink. "I can't hear all of that, I can't know all of that while knowing the people and just…let it go! I can't know that the people I know and like, that I care about are abused and simply deal with it! Live with it! I want to stop it! I want to destroy the abuser! And god damn it, I want to understand why they all refuse to help themselves!" Her voice raised to the heavens as she spoke. Tears and snot ran down her face freely as she had no restraint, not anymore. "I'm disgusted with them! With their sickly obedience towards that bastard! I disgust myself! No one can stop it, and I hate everyone for it!

"I'm not strong enough…I can't…I just can't. It hurts me too much. I don't know how you do it, girl, truly I don't. I don't know how you manage to live and adapt to it…I'm not seeing any of them daily and still my thoughts are flooded with them, with that monster Akito. I don't even talk to them anymore and still I pull at my hair and scream into my pillow…helpless, useless…so I can't just…talk to them again. To him. I want to, gods, I do but…I'm not that strong." She buried her face into her hands and gave a choked shout before giving into the sobs that wracked her body. "I can't…Ayame…"

"But…why don't you…let Hatori erase your…?"

Nettie looked up, her red curls clinging to her tear-soaked face. She gave a bitter smile as she trembled. "B-because…I don't…want to give up. I still have hope, like a fucking idiot…that things will change. Not today, not tomorrow…but one day. I wish it to be soon but…I can wait. I'll die waiting, go mad waiting…but I don't want to forget Ayame or you or anyone else. The lessons, the stupidity, the kindness…" she threw her head back and laughed without humor in between sobs. "And I don't want to forget how it feels to be in love with Ayame!" She laughed again and threw her hands to the sky, trembling. "I'm in love with Ayame and I hate myself for it! For being weak, for being hopeful…for being…for being…scared…a fool…a foolish human. I never want to forget the way he'd smile at me and how contagious it was…or how raw that concern felt…how…"

She let her hands fall to her side. Arms wrapped around herself, she sniffed. Slowly, she started to calm. It was only then that she realized Tohru was crying as well. From what? The passion of her words? Her own sobs? Emotions were like wildfire after all. "How do you do it, dear? How the fuck do you do it?" She sniffed weakly. "How do you live with all of this…and not collapse? How do you manage to keep living when you love…"

It was difficult to figure who stepped forward first, but within a moment Tohru was in Nettie's arms as they both shed tears silently.

* * *

A/N: Again, this is discontinued. I put together the scenes I had written ahead of myself, so that's why it's so choppy. I just cannot see myself bridging these scenes into context of the story. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. See ya.


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